The Arc Lavas of the Shirahama Group, Japan: Sr and Nd Isotopic Data Indicate Mantle-Derived Bimodal Magmatism

New Sr and Nd isotopic data are presented and integrated withprevious data for the Shirahama Group Mio-Pliocene medium-Kvolcanic are suite of south-central Honshu, Japan. Main resultsare: (1) The Shirahama lavas range in ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr from 0.70315to 0.70337 and in ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd from 0.51298 to 0.51306; the Srand Nd isotopic data cluster tightly within the mantle array,and all lie within an overlapping field of mid-ocean ridge basaltand ocean island basalt; (2) small differences exist among theShirahama tholeiitic series, calc-alkaline series and mixedlavas. The present isotopic data are consistent with a previouslypublished model, which proposes that chemical variations inmagmas of coexisting tholeiitic and calc-alkaline series areproduced through crystal fractionation from mantle-derived magmasof basalt and magnesian andesite, respectively. Moreover, thetholeiitic series and the calc-alkaline series are isotopicallyidentical. Thus, both magma series can be derived from a sourcemantle with the same isotopic composition, supporting the hypothesisof simultaneous generation of basalt and magnesian andesitemagmas from a single diapir rising through the mantle wedgeabove the subduction zone. The differences of water contentand temperature within the diapir are again thought to havebeen produced through dehydration and heating of an isotopicallyhomogeneous hydrous diapir. The isotopic data show that thehigh-SiO₂ lavas have the same isotopic compositions as moremafic lavas. These data and liquid lines of descent of the Shirahamamagmas suggest that even rhyolites can be produced by differentiationfrom mantle-derived magmas without crustal contamination. Analysesfrom 38 other arc volcanoes have been compiled to investigatethe intravolcano variability of ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr. Twelve of these displayno intravolcano strontium isotopic variability, as is the casewith the Shirahama Group, but others show greater variationof ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr from individual volcanic centers, presumably reflectingcrustal contamination. Most of the latter volcanoes are underlainby thick continental crust. It is noteworthy, however, thatthe greater variations of ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr correlate with SiO₂ content;andesites or dacites, not basalts, from the same volcano havethe lowest ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr, and these rocks are calc-alkaline in termsof FeO^*/MgO and SiO₂ Theoretically, assimilation of continentalcrust by the isotopically uniform Shirahama magmas could producethese relationships. Given that mantle-derived basalt and magnesianandesite both encounter continental crust on their ascent tothe surface, the hotter basalt magma would assimilate more crustalwallrocks than the cooler andesite, resulting in the basaltbeing more radiogenic. Fractional crystallization, magma mixing,and/or assimilation-fractional crystallization of these magmasin crustal magma chambers could produce large compositionalvariations, but the derivatives of the hotter basaltic magmas(tholeiitic series in the broad sense) would display greatercontamination than those derived from the cooler andesitic magmas(calc-alkaline series). ^*Telephone: 81-858-43-1215. Fax: 81-858-43-2184. e-mail: tamura{at}misasa.okayam-u.ac.jp     

Petrology of the Younger Andesites and Dacites of Iztacc?huatl Volcano, Mexico: II. Chemical Stratigraphy, Magma Mixing, and the Composition of Basaltic Magma Influx

The Younger Andesites and Dacites of Iztacc?huatl volcano, Mexico,constitute a medium-K calcalkaline rock suite (58–66 wt.per cent SiO₂) characterized by high Mg-numbers (100Mg/(Mg+0?85Fe²⁺=55–66) and relatively high abundances of MgO (2?5–6?6wt. per cent), Ni(17–158 p.p.m.), and Cr (42–224p.p.m.). Chemical stratigraphy plots of eruptive sequences indicatethe existence of a plexus of long-lived dacite magma chambersperiodically replenished by influxes of basaltic magma ascendingfrom depth. Short-term geochemical evolution after batch influxwas dictated by magma mixing and eventual dilution of the basalticcomponent by ‘quasi-steady state’ hornblende dacitemagma. The chemical data support textural and mineralogicalevidence for rapid homogenization of originally diverse magmasby convective blending of residual liquids accompanied by dynamicfractional crystallization (Nixon, 1988). Internally-consistent mixing calculations used to derive thecomposition of basaltic magma influx incorporate analyticaluncertainties and the observed range of salic end-member compositions.Mafic end-members are basalts to basaltic andesites (52–54wt. per cent SiO₂) with Mg-numbers (73–76), MgO (9–11wt. per cent), Ni (250 p.p.m.), and Cr (340–510 p.p.m.)concentrations, and liquidus olivine compositions (Fo_90–88),appropriate for unfractionated partial melts of mantle peridotite.The majority of model compositions are Ol-Hy-normative, similarto those of primitive basaltic lavas on the flanks of Iztacc?huatland in the Valley of Mexico. However, calculated magma batchesrange from weakly Qz-normative to strongly Ne-normative. Bothcalculated and analyzed basaltic compositions are distinguishedby highly variable abundances of alkalies and incompatible traceelements, notably Rb, Ba, Sr, P, Zr, and Y. Initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios for Iztacc?huatl lavas (0?7040–0?7046;n=24) are comparable to those for primitive basaltic rocks (0?7037–0?7045;?=4) and indicate that (1) mantle source regions are isotopicallyheterogeneous; and (2) contamination of iztacc?huatl magma chambersby radiogenic crustal rocks was not a significant factor inthe evolution of calc-alkaline andesites and dacites. The replenishment of Iztacc?huatl dacite reservoirs by Ne-normativemagmas late in the history of cone growth precludes exhaustionof mantle source regions by progressive partial melting. Thewaning stages of volcanic activity at Iztacc?huatl appear toreflect the inability of dense basaltic influxes to successfullypenetrate a large high-level chamber of low density hornblendedacite magma.     

Evolution and Genesis of Magmas from Vico Volcano, Central Italy: Multiple Differentiation Pathways and Variable Parental Magmas

Vico volcano has erupted potassic and ultrapotassic magmas,ranging from silica-saturated to silica-undersaturated types,in three distinct volcanic periods over the past 0·5Myr. During Period I magma compositions changed from latiteto trachyte and rhyolite, with minor phono-tephrite; duringPeriods II and III the erupted magmas were primarly phono-tephriteto tephri-phonolite and phonolite; however, magmatic episodesinvolving leucite-free eruptives with latitic, trachytic andolivine latitic compositions also occurred. In Period II, leucite-bearingmagmas (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr_initial = 0·71037–0·71115)were derived from a primitive tephrite parental magma. Modellingof phonolites with different modal plagioclase and Sr contentsindicates that low-Sr phonolitic lavas differentiated from tephri-phonoliteby fractional crystallization of 7% olivine + 27% clinopyroxene+ 54% plagioclase + 10% Fe–Ti oxides + 4% apatite at lowpressure, whereas high-Sr phonolitic lavas were generated byfractional crystallization at higher pressure. More differentiatedphonolites were generated from the parental magma of the high-Srphonolitic tephra by fractional crystallization of 10–29%clinopyroxene + 12–15% plagioclase + 44–67% sanidine+ 2–4% phlogopite + 1–3% apatite + 7–10% Fe–Tioxides. In contrast, leucite-bearing rocks of Period III (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr_initial= 0·70812–0·70948) were derived from a potassictrachybasalt by assimilation–fractional crystallizationwith 20–40% of solid removed and r = 0·4–0·5(where r is assimilation rate/crystallization rate) at differentpressures. Silica-saturated magmas of Period II (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr_initial= 0·71044–0·71052) appear to have been generatedfrom an olivine latite similar to some of the youngest eruptedproducts. A primitive tephrite, a potassic trachybasalt andan olivine latite are inferred to be the parental magmas atVico. These magmas were generated by partial melting of a veinedlithospheric mantle sources with different vein–peridotite/wall-rockproportions, amount of residual apatite and distinct isolationtimes for the veins. KEY WORDS: isotope and trace element geochemistry; polybaric differentiation; veined mantle; potassic and ultrapotassic rocks; Vico volcano; central Italy     

The Petrology and Geochemistry of Mafic Igneous Rocks in the Anorthosite-Bearing Adirondack Highlands, New York

Igneous rocks of broadly basaltic composition are widely distributedin the anorthosite-bearing Adirondack Highlands of New York.They constitute a mafic series of rocks that occurs on the marginsof the anorthosite series and up to 50 km away from the anorthosite.On an Sr reference diagram, the mafic series has an apparentinitial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr value of 0.7036, which is consistent with1100 Ma subcontinental mantle. The series was probably emplacedin the interval 1150–1100 Ma, during which time anorthositeand granitic magmas were also emplaced. The rocks were metamorphosedshortly thereafter ({small tilde} 1088 Ma) under upper-amphiboliteand granulite facies conditions. Individual bodies of maficrocks range in thickness from small enclaves and layers >>1 m thick to large lensoid masses several tens of meters thick.Despite deformation and metamorphic recrystallization, manyof the rocks retain chiHed margins, cross-cutting relationships,and relict igneous textures. Selected samples of the mafic series have been analyzed fortheir major and trace element compositions. Metamorphism didnot significantly alter the igneous geochemical relationships,and the rocks retain mantle-like values for Zr/Nb, K/Zr, K/Rb,Rb/Sr, and ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr. The most primitive rocks of the seriesare silica-undersaturated gabbroic troctolites, and the moreevolved rocks are basaltic in composition. The mafic seriesas a whole has high abundances of A1₂O₃, FeO, the light rareearth elements (LREE), and other incompatible trace elements.Even the most geochemically primitive compositions have highFeO contents. The Fe enrichment and Si depletion that are shownby chemically evolved compositions are consistent with a Fennertrend of fractionation. Low levels of normative di indicatethat high Fe is not a result of the extensive fractionationof cpx. The geochemical trends that are defined by the traceelements, including the REE, suggest the basaltic rocks maybe differentiates of a parental magma of gabbroic troctolitecomposition. The main compositional trend of the mafic seriescan be simulated by 61% crystallization of olivine and plagioclaseof a gabbroic troctolite, followed by 13% crystallization ofolivine, plagioclase, clinopyroxene, and titanomagnetite atthe final stages. The modelled ratio of olivine to plagioclasecrystallization changes from 1–8: 1 to 0–64: 1.These non-cotectic ratios may reflect a delay in the crystallizationof plagioclase relative to olivine, possibly as a result oflow nucleation rates. At later stages of differentiation, plagioclasewas more important in the crystallization of the series. Delayedcrystallization of plagioclase may also have resulted in thehigh A1₂O₃ contents and enhancement of Eu and Sr relative toother trace elements at early stages of differentiation. The mafic series and the silica-saturated anorthosite seriestogether form an anorthosite-norite-troctolite (ANT) suite.More than one mantle composition may have been involved in generatingthe Adirondack mafic magmas. The rocks retain geochemical evidenceof a source that was depleted in basaltic components (cpx) butenriched in Fe, Ti, K, and the LREE. Previously documented evidenceof anticlockwise cooling paths (Bohlen, 1987) and of a regionalgravity high centered beneath the Adirondack region (Simmons,1964) suggests that of the continental crust by basaltic magmasmay have underplating of the continental crust by basaltic magmasmay have been an important feature of the tectonic evolutionofthe region. A model of mantle upwelling beneath thinning continentalcrust explains the geochemically hybrid nature of the maficseries magmas. It is also consistent with a tectonic settingof incipient or failed continental rifting, to which the generationof the anorthosites is commonly attributed.     

Major Addition of Magma at the Pyroxenite Marker in the Western Bushveld Complex, South Africa

A major, but gradual, reversal in the cryptic variation patternof the plagioclase and pyroxenes, of 13 mol% anorthite and 10mol% Mg/ (Mg + Fe) respectively, is documented in the Main Zoneof the western Bush veld Complex. These changes are accompaniedby a decrease in initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratio from > 0.708 to< 0.707. The Pyroxenite Marker, a distinctive orthopyroxenitelayer, occurs close to the top of this reversed differentiationsequence. This is attributed to addition of less differentiatedmagma. On the basis of a mass balance calculation of the initial⁸⁷Sr/ ⁸⁶Sr ratios, it is estimated that the volume of magmaadded was comparable to that of the resident magma. Increases in the Fe₂O₃, TiO₂, Al₂O₃, and Na₂O contents of thepyroxenes above the level of magma addition indicate that thenew magma had a lower silica activity and higher fO₂ than theresident magma. Quantification of the trace element and REEcontent of the two magmas is hampered by the very low proportionof trapped intercumulus component in these adcumulate rocks.However, semi-quantitative modelling indicates that the traceand REE signatures of the two magmas were similar, with moderateLREE enrichment and flat HREE profiles. The new magma had aslightly higher La/ Sm ratio than the resident magma, consistentwith its more alkaline nature. The new magma was probably added gradually, while 100–150m of cumulates formed. It probably intruded at an intermediatelevel within an existing stratified magma chamber, where itcooled and crystallized, and composite packets of liquid pluscrystals plunged to the base of the chamber. The cores of plagioclasegrains formed during this mixing interval show a wider rangeof compositions than in other sections, and plagioclase primocrystsfrom both magmas may be preserved within single samples. Therefore,although intimate physical mixing of packets of unknown sizeof the two magmas occurred, re-equilibration of the major oxidecomposition of the plagioclase primocrysts was not achieved.However, the data and calculations based on diffusion ratesindicate that partial Sr isotopic resetting of plagioclase mayhave occurred.     

Petrology and Geochemistry of the Bandas del Sur Formation, Las Canadas Edifice, Tenerife (Canary Islands)

The Bandas del Sur Formation preserves a Quaternary extra-calderarecord of central phonolitic explosive volcanism of the LasCañadas volcano at Tenerife. Volcanic rocks are bimodalin composition, being predominantly phonolitic pyroclastic deposits,several eruptions of which resulted in summit caldera collapse,alkali basaltic lavas erupted from many fissures around theflanks. For the pyroclastic deposits, there is a broad rangeof pumice glass compositions from phonotephrite to phonolite.The phonolite pyroclastic deposits are also characterized bya diverse, 7–8-phase phenocryst assemblage (alkali feldspar+ biotite + sodian diopside + titanomagnetite + ilmenite + nosean–haüyne+ titanite + apatite) with alkali feldspar dominant, in contrastto interbedded phonolite lavas that typically have lower phenocrystcontents and lack hydrous phases. Petrological and geochemicaldata are consistent with fractional crystallization (involvingthe observed phenocryst assemblages) as the dominant processin the development of phonolite magmas. New stratigraphicallyconstrained data indicate that petrological and geochemicaldifferences exist between pyroclastic deposits of the last twoexplosive cycles of phonolitic volcanism. Cycle 2 (0·85–0·57Ma) pyroclastic fall deposits commonly show a cryptic compositionalzonation indicating that several eruptions tapped chemically,and probably thermally stratified magma systems. Evidence formagma mixing is most widespread in the pyroclastic depositsof Cycle 3 (0·37–0·17 Ma), which includesthe presence of reversely and normally zoned phenocrysts, quenchedmafic glass blebs in pumice, banded pumice, and bimodal to polymodalphenocryst compositional populations. Syn-eruptive mixing eventsinvolved mostly phonolite and tephriphonolite magmas, whereasa pre-eruptive mixing event involving basaltic magma is recordedin several banded pumice-bearing ignimbrites of Cycle 3. Theperiodic addition and mixing of basaltic magma ultimately mayhave triggered several eruptions. Recharge and underplatingby basaltic magma is interpreted to have elevated sulphur contents(occurring as an exsolved gas phase) in the capping phonoliticmagma reservoir. This promoted nosean–haüyne crystallizationover nepheline, elevated SO₃ contents in apatite, and possiblyresulted in large, climatologically important SO₂ emissions. KEY WORDS: Tenerife; phonolite; crystal fractionation; magma mixing; sulphur-rich explosive eruptions     

Evidence for Multiple Mechanisms of Crustal Contamination of Magma from Compositionally Zoned Plutons and Associated Ultramafic Intrusions of the Alaska Range

Models of continental crustal magmagenesis commonly invoke theinteraction of mafic mantle-derived magma and continental crustto explain geochemical and petrologic characteristics of crustalvolcanic and plutonic rocks. This interaction and the specificmechanisms of crustal contamination associated with it are poorlyunderstood. An excellent opportunity to study the progressiveeffects of crustal contamination is offered by the compositeplutons of the Alaska Range, a series of nine early Tertiary,multiply intruded, compositionally zoned (Peridotite to granite)plutons. Large initial Sr and Nd isotopic contrasts betweenthe crustal country rock and likely parental magmas allow evaluationof the mechanisms and extents of crustal contamination thataccompanied the crystallization of these ultra-mafic throughgranitic rocks. Three contamination processes are distinguishedin these plutons. The most obvious of these is assimilationof crustal country rock concurrent with magmatic fractionalcrystallization (AFC), as indicated by a general trend towardcrustal-like isotopic signatures with increasing differentiation.Second, many ultramafic and mafic rocks have late-stage phenocrystreaction and orthocumulate textures that suggest interactionwith felsic melt. These rocks also have variable and enrichedisotopic compositions that suggest that this felsic melt wasisotopically enriched and probably derived from crustal countryrock. Partial melt from the flysch country rock may have reactedwith and contaminated these partly crystalline magmas followingthe precipitation and accumulation of the cumulus phenocrystsbut before complete solidification of the magma. This suggeststhat in magmatic mush (especially of ultramafic composition)crystallizing in continental crust, a second distinct processof crustal contamination may be super imposed on AFC or magmamixing involving the main magma body. Finally, nearly all rocks,including mafic and ultramafic rocks, have (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr)_i thatare too high, and (T) _Nd that are too low, to represent theexpected isotopic composition of typical depleted mantle. However,gabbro xenoliths with typical depicted-mantle isotopic compositionsare found in the plutons. This situation requires either anadditional enriched mantle component to provide the parentalmagma for these plutons, or some mechanism of crustal contaminationof the parent magma that did not cause significant crystallizationand differentiation of the magma to more felsic compositions.Thermodynamic modeling indicates that assimilation of alkali-andwater-rich partial melt of the metapelite country rock by fractionating,near-liquidus basaltic magma could cause significant contaminationwhile suppressing significant crystallization and differentiation. KEY WORDS: crustal contamination; Alaska Range; isotope geochemistry; zoned plutons; assimilation ^*Corresponding author. e-mail: preiners{at}u.washington.edu; fax: (206) 543-3836.     

Polybaric Evolution of Calc-alkaline Magmas from Nisyros, Southeastern Hellenic Arc, Greece

The lavas of Nisyros were erupted between about 0?2 m.y B.P.and 1422 A.D., and range in composition from basaltic andesiteto rhyodacite. Most were erupted prior to caldera collapse (exactdate unknown), and the post-caldera lavas are petrographically(presence of strongly resorbed phenocrysts) and chemically (lowerTiO₂ K₂O, P₂O₅, and LIL elements) distinct from the pre-calderalavas. The pre-caldera lavas do not form a continuous seriessince lavas with SiO₂ contents between 60 and 66 wt.% are absent.Nevertheless, major element variations demonstrate that fractionalcrystalliz ation (involving removal of olivine, dinopyroxene,plagioclase, and Fe-Ti oxide from the basaltic andesites andandesites and plagioclase, clinopyroxene, hypersthene, Ti-magnetite,ilmenite, apatite, and zircon from the dacites and rhyodacites)played a major role in the evolution of the pre-caldera lavas.Several lines of evidence indicate that other processes werealso important in magma evolution: (1) Quantitative modelingof major element data shows that phenocryst phases of unlikelycomposi tion or unrealistic assemblages of phenocryst phasesare required to relate the dacites and rhyodacites to the basalticandesites and andesites; (2) The proportions of olivine andclinopyroxene required in quantitative models for the initialstages of evolution differ from those observed petrographicallyand this is not likely to reflect either differential ratesof crystal settling or the curvature of cotectics along whichliquids of basaltic andesite to andesite composition lie; (3)The concentrations of Rb, Cs, Ba, La, Sm, Eu, and Th in therhyod.acites are too high for these lavas to be related to thedacites by fractional crystallization alone; and (4) ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Srratios for the andesites and rhyodacites are higher than thosefor the basaltic andesites and dacites, respectively. It isshown that fractional crystallization was accompanied by assimilation,and that magma mixing played a minor role (if any) in the evolutionof the pre-caldera lavas. Trace element and isotopic data indicatethat the andesites evolved from the basaltic andesites by AFCinvolving average crust or upper crust, whereas the rhyodacitesevolved from the dacites by AFC involving lower crust. Additionalevidence for polybaric evolution is provided by the occurrenceof distinct Ab-rich cores of plagioclase phenocrysts in thedacites and rhyodacites, which record a period of high pressurecrystallization, and by the occurrence of both normal and reverse-zonedphenocrysts in the basaltic andesites and andesites. Furthermore,calculated pressures of crystallization are {small tilde}8 kbfor the dacites and rhyodacites and 3?5–4 kb for the basalticandesites and andesites. It is concluded that the dacites andrhyodacites evolved via AFC from basaltic andesites and andesiteslargely in chambers sited near the base of the crust whereasthe basaltic andesites and andesites mostly evolved in chamberssited at mid-crustal levels. Eruption from different chambersexplains the compositional gap in the chemistry of the pre-calderalavas since eruptive products represent a more or less randomsampling of residual liquids which separate (via filter pressing)from bodies of crystallizing magma at various depths. Magmamixing was important in the evolution of the post-caldera lavas,but geochemical data require that these magmas evolved fromparental magmas which were derived from a more refractory sourcethan the parental magmas to the pre-caldera lavas. ^*Present address: Netherlands Energy Research Foundation (ECN), P.O. Box 1, 1755 ZG Petten, The Netherlands     

The andesite aqueduct: perspectives on the evolution of intermediate magmatism in west-central (105–99°W) Mexico

Intermediate calc-alkaline magma (52-65% SiO₂) in western-central Mexico is the focus of this paper, and the typically porphyritic andesites (57-65% SiO₂) form large central volcanoes, whereas basaltic andesites (52-57% SiO₂) are less porphyritic, and they are found as cones and flows but are absent from central volcanoes. Several studies of experimental phase equilibria on these lavas relate water concentration to the phenocryst assemblages and to the degree of crystallinity, so that the abundance, composition and variety of phenocrysts can be used to constrain the amount of water dissolved in the magmas. Thus, the plagioclase-rich andesites of Volcan Colima, Mexico, become so as a result of decompressional crystallisation at ~950 °C (the pyroxene phenocryst temperature), and lose their dissolved water (2.5 to 4.5 wt% H₂O) which is inversely proportional to the modal abundance of plagioclase. The feeding magma to V. Colima, North America's most productive central volcano, is represented by hornblende lamprophyre, a lava type without plagioclase phenocrysts which requires at least 6 wt% water to reproduce the phenocryst assemblage. Thus, degassing of the V. Colima magmas, and of those of the other central volcanoes in the western-central Mexican volcanic belt, contributes essentially all their dissolved water to the conduit or to the atmosphere. The source of this magmatic water is related to the source of the intermediate magmas. For some this must lie in the mantle, as the incorporation of hornblende-lherzolite nodules in a hydrous andesite with hornblende phenocrysts could only have occurred while ascending through the mantle. Consistent with a mantle source is the composition of the olivine phenocrysts in Mexican lavas with 10 to 5% MgO, which is in the mantle range of Fo_88-92. Accordingly, basaltic andesites and andesites with >5% MgO are candidates for a mantle source. The equilibration of intermediate magmas with the mantle, as illustrated by the experiments of various workers, requires that the magmas be hydrous at pressure. An additional constraint is that the activity of silica in the mantle must be equal to that in the hydrous magma at equilibrium. Using published and new experiments to define RTln%_SiO2 in hydrous liquids, this quantity is shown to vary as a function of liquid composition (H₂O, MgO, Na₂O+K₂O), and it approaches zero for quartz-saturated hydrous liquids. Using appropriate values of RTln%_SiO2 for three intermediate lavas, the amount of water required to equilibrate with an olivine-orthopyroxene mantle source is calculated, and within error indicates that only the most silica-rich magma is at water saturation in the mantle, in agreement with published experimental work. Hydrous intermediate magmas, ascending from their hornblende-lherzolite source regions (~1 to 1.5 GPa) along the hydrous adiabat, may not encounter any phase boundaries until 0.2-0.4 GPa because of the increase in the thermal stability of hornblende in water-undersaturated magmas. Therefore, the phenocryst assemblages of hornblende-free andesites equilibrate at low pressures. The virtual absence of basalt in west-central Mexico (<4 Ma) is considered to be related to the large increase in crystallinity found in isobaric hydrous experiments crystallising hornblende at pressures close to those at the base of the crust. As a large proportion of the ferromagnesian components of basalt is acceptable to hornblende, it does not take a significant cooling interval (~40-50 °C) below the liquidus for hydrous basaltic magma to acquire >50% crystallinity, evidently also an eruptible limit for V. Colima andesitic lavas. If the lower limit of water dissolved in Mexican intermediate magmas is accepted as that required for phenocryst equilibration (~6 wt% water), and the upper limit as saturation in the mantle source at 1 GPa (~16 wt%) then, with an estimate of the volcanic and plutonic magma delivery rate (km³/10⁶ year) per km of volcanic arc, the flux of water returned from the mantle along the 35,000-km, global subduction-related arc system can be estimated. Measurements of the volcanic flux are woefully few, and estimates from Mexico, the Lesser Antilles and central America show a range from 4 to 20 km³/10⁶ year2km which, if subtracted from the isotopically constrained continental growth rate, gives the plutonic flux rate. This suggests that, of the magma flux ascending to the continental crust, only about a fifth reaches the surface. If the dissolved magmatic water limits are coupled with the volcanic and plutonic emplacement rates, then the amount of water returned by magmatism to the crust is crudely in balance with that subducted.     

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.     

Petrogenesis and Implications of Calc-Alkaline Cryptic Hybrid Magmas from Washburn Volcano, Absaroka Volcanic Province, USA

The petrogenesis of calc-alkaline magmatism in the Eocene AbsarokaVolcanic Province (AVP) is investigated at Washburn volcano,a major eruptive center in the low-K western belt of the AVP.New ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar age determinations indicate that magmatism atthe volcano commenced as early as 55 Ma and continued untilat least 52 Ma. Although mineral and whole-rock compositionaldata reflect near equilibrium crystallization of modal phenocrysts,petrogenetic modeling demonstrates that intermediate compositionmagmas are hybrids formed by mixing variably fractionated andcontaminated mantle-derived melts and heterogeneous siliciccrustal melts. Nd and Sr isotopic compositions along with traceelement data indicate that silicic melts in the Washburn systemare derived from deep-crustal rocks broadly similar in compositionto granulite-facies xenoliths in the Wyoming Province. Our preferredexplanation for these features is that mantle-derived basalticmagma intruded repeatedly in the deep continental crust leadingto fractional crystallization, silicic melt production, andhomogenization of magmas, followed by ascent to shallow reservoirsand crystallization of new plagioclase-rich mineral assemblagesin equilibrium with the intermediate hybrid liquids. The implicationsof this process are that (1) some calc-alkaline magmas may onlybe recognized as hybrids on purely chemical grounds, particularlyin systems where mixing precedes and is widely separated fromcrystallization in space and time, and (2) given the role ascribedto crustal processes at Washburn volcano, the variation betweenrocks that follow calc-alkaline trends in the western AVP andthose that follow shoshonitic trends in the east cannot simplyreflect higher pressures of fractionation to the east in Moho-levelmagma chambers in the absence of crustal interaction. KEY WORDS: petrogenesis; magma mixing; calc-alkaline; Absaroka Volcanic Province; ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar dates     

Volcanic Rocks from the Nejapa and Granada Cinder Cone Alignments, Nicaragua, Central America

Mafic tholeiitic basalts from the Nejapa and Granada (NG) cindercone alignments provide new insights into the origin and evolutionof magmas at convergent plate margins. In comparison to otherbasalts from the Central American volcanic front, these marietholeiitic basalts are high in MgO and CaO and low in Al₂O_p,K₂O₁, Ba and Sr. They also differ from other Central Americanbasalts, in having clinopyroxene phenocrysts with higher MgO,CaO and Cr₂O₃ concentrations and olivine phenocrysts with higherMgO contents. Except for significantly higher concentrationsof Ba, Sr and ⁸⁷Sr/₈₆Sr, most of the tholeiites are indistinguishable in compositionfrom mid-ocean ridge basalts. In general, phenocryst mineralcompositions are also very similar between NG tholeiites andmid-ocean ridge basalts. The basalts as a whole can be dividedinto two groups based on relative TiO₂-K₂O concentrations. Thehigh-Ti basalts always have the lowest K₂O and Ba and usuallyhave the highest Ni and Cr. All of the basalts have experienced some fractional crystallizationof olivine, plagioclase and clinopyroxene. Relative to otherCentral American basalts, the Nejapa-Granada basalts appearto have fractionated at low P_T and P_H2O. The source of primarymagmas for these basalts is the mantle wedge. Fluids and/ormelts may have been added to the mantle wedge from hydrothermally-altered,subducting oceanic crust in order to enrich the mantle in Sr,Ba and ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr, but not in K and Rb. The role of lower crustaicontamination in causing the observed enrichments in Sr, Baand ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr of NG basalts in comparison to mid-ocean ridgebasalts, however, is unclear. Rutile or a similar high-Ti accessoryphase may have been stable in the mantle source of the low-TiNG basalts, but not in that of the high-Ti basalts. Mafic tholeiiticbasalts, similar to those from Nejapa and Granada, may representmagmatic compositions parental to high-Al basalts, the mostmafic basalts at most Central American volcanoes. The characterof the residual high-Al basalts after this fractionation stepdepends critically on P_H2O Both high and low-Ti andesites are also present at Nejapa. Likethe high-Ti basalts, the high-Ti andesites have lower K₂O andBa and higher Ni and Cr in comparison to the low-Ti group. Thehigh-Ti andesites appear to be unrelated to any of the otherrocks and their exact origin is unknown. The low-Ti andesitesare the products of fractional crystallization of plagioclase,clinopyroxene, olivine (or orthopyroxene) and magnetite fromthe low-Ti basalts. The eruption that deposited a lapilli sectionat Cuesta del Plomo involved the explosive mixing of 3 components:high-Ti basaltic magma, low-Ti andesitic magma and high-Ti andesiticlava.     

Chemical versus Temporal Controls on the Evolution of Tholeiitic and Calc-alkaline Magmas at Two Volcanoes in the Alaska-Aleutian Arc

The Alaska–Aleutian island arc is well known for eruptingboth tholeiitic and calc-alkaline magmas. To investigate therelative roles of chemical and temporal controls in generatingthese contrasting liquid lines of descent we have undertakena detailed study of tholeiitic lavas from Akutan volcano inthe oceanic Aleutian arc and calc-alkaline products from Aniakchakvolcano on the continental Alaskan Peninsula. The differencesdo not appear to be linked to parental magma composition. TheAkutan lavas can be explained by closed-system magmatic evolution,whereas curvilinear trace element trends and a large range in⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr isotope ratios in the Aniakchak data appear to requirethe combined effects of fractional crystallization, assimilationand magma mixing. Both magmatic suites preserve a similar rangein ²²⁶Ra–²³⁰Th disequilibria, which suggests that thetime scale of crustal residence of magmas beneath both thesevolcanoes was similar, and of the order of several thousandyears. This is consistent with numerical estimates of the timescales for crystallization caused by cooling in convecting crustalmagma chambers. During that time interval the tholeiitic Akutanmagmas underwent restricted, closed-system, compositional evolution.In contrast, the calc-alkaline magmas beneath Aniakchak volcanounderwent significant open-system compositional evolution. Combiningthese results with data from other studies we suggest that differentiationis faster in calc-alkaline and potassic magma series than intholeiitic series, owing to a combination of greater extentsof assimilation, magma mixing and cooling. KEY WORDS: uranium-series; Aleutian arc; magma differentiation; time scales     

Potassic Mafic Lavas of the Bearpaw Mountains, Montana: Mineralogy, Chemistry, and Origin

The volcanic rocks of the Bearpaw Mountains are part of theMontana high-potassium province, emplaced through Archaean rocksof the Wyoming Craton between 54 and 50 Ma ago. Extrusive rocks,dominated by minettes and latites, have a volume of 825 km³.The minettes range in composition from 20 to 6% MgO. The moremagnesian varieties contain the phenocryst assemblage forsterite+ Cr-spinel + diopside phlogopite. More evolved rocks areolivine-free, with an assemblage of either salite + phlogopite+ pseudoleucite or salite + phlogopite + analcime. The analcimeis thought to be secondary after leucite, produced by loss ofpotassium from the minettes. Mineral chemistry and textures,especially of clinopyroxenes, indicate that mixing between minettemagmas of varying degrees of evolution was commonplace. Compositionalvariation was further extended by accumulation of olivine +spinel + clinopyroxene phenocrysts, and by the preservationof mantle xenocrysts in the minettes. The primary minette magmasare inferred to have had 12–14% MgO and to have been generatedat 30 kb from an olivine + diopside + phlogopite-bearing source.The primary magmas evolved dominantly by fractionation of olivine+ diopside. The minettes have high contents of large ion lithophile elements(LILE) and light rare earth elements (LREE), with K₂O up to6.18%, Ba 5491 ppm, Sr 2291 ppm, and Ce 99 ppm. (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr)⁰ranges from 0.707 to 0.710 and Nd varies from –10 to–16. These data, plus high LILE/HFSE (high field strengthelements) values, are interpreted to show that the minettescontain at least three different mantle components. The lithospherewas initially depleted in Archaean times, but was metasomaticallyenriched in the Proterozoic and in the late Cretaceous and earlyTertiary. The latites have many chemical features in common with the minettes,such as potassic character and high LILE/HFSE values. They formedby fractional crystallization of minette magma in combinationwith assimilation of crustal rocks; this process enriched themagmas in SiO₂ and raised Na₂O/K₂O and ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr values. Chemicaldata for phenocrysts and bulk rocks in minettes suggest mixingbetween minette and latite magmas.     

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).     

Lava-Flow and Subvolcanic Magma Reservoir Composition Trends in the Ca-poor Pyroxenes of Hakone Volcano, Japan

The temperatures at which pigeonite began to crystallize intholeiitic basalts and andesite of Hakone volcano range from1123 to 1019 ?C based on the three-pyroxene geothermometer ofIshii (1975). These values are lower than the temperatures ofother tholeiitic magmas of similar solidification index, suchas the magmas of Funagata-yama, O-shima, and Akita-komagatakevolcanoes and the Skaergaard intrusion. The cores of Ca-poorpyroxene phenocrysts formed in the Hakone subvolcanic magmareservoir are invariably orthopyroxene; the groundmass and microphenocrystpyroxenes crystallized in the lava during ascent and extrusionof magma are generally pigeonite, but orthopyroxene is alsopresent occasionally. The subvolcanic temperature-compositionpath [T-X_Fe path; X_Fe = Fe/(Mg + Fe), atomic ratio] of the Ca-poorpyroxenes does not intersect the pigeonite eutectoid reactionline (PER-line) of Ishii & Takeda (1974), whereas the lava-flowpaths characteristically intersect it at X^Fe values between0. 31 and 0–52. These two different kinds of T X^Fe pathsmay be interpreted as reflecting different solidus temperatures,and the content of volatiles, particularly water, appears tobe the controlling factor. It is suggested that the water contentof the magma increased because of fractional crystallizationof anhydrous minerals from a relatively hydrous magma in thesubvolcanic reservoir; then each erupted batch of the fractionatedmagma had its water content lowered by degassing as it ascendedto the volcano. Pigeonite is common in the groundmass of basalticrocks throughout the world, both extrusive and intrusive, butit is rare as phenocrysts in the former, a feature that mayalso be explained by the different solidus temperatures. Calc-alkalirocks in Hakone volcano appear to be derived by fractionationof hydrous tholeiitic magma.     

Petrology of the Younger Andesites and Dacites of Iztacc?huatl Volcano, Mexico: I. Disequilibrium Phenocryst Assemblages as Indicators of Magma Chamber Processes

Disequilibrium phenocryst assemblages in the Younger Andesitesand Dacites of Iztacc?huatl, a major Quaternary volcano in theTrans-Mexican Volcanic Belt, provide an excellent record ofepisodic replenishment, magma mixing, and crystallization processesin calc-alkaline magma chambers. Phenocryst compositions andtextures in ‘mixed’ lavas, produced by binary mixingof primitive olivine-phyric basalt and evolved hornblende dacitemagmas, are used to evaluate the mineralogical and thermal characteristicsof end-members and the physical and chemical interactions thatattend mixing. Basaltic end-members crystallized olivine (FO_90–88) andminor chrome spinel during ascent into crustal magma chambers.Resident dacite magma contained phenocrysts of andesine (An_45–35),hypersthene (En67–61), edenitic-pargasitic hornblende,biotite, quartz, .titanomagnetite, and ilmenite. On reachinghigh-level reservoirs, basaltic magmas were near their liquidiat temperatures of about 1250–1200?C according to theolivine-liquid geothermometer. Application of the Fe-Ti-oxidegeothermometer-oxygen barometer indicates that hornblende dacitemagma, comprising phenocrysts (<30 vol. per cent) and coexistingrhyolitic liquid, had an ambient temperature between 940 and820?C at f_O2s approximately 0?3 log units above the nickel-nickeloxide buffer assemblage. Mixing induced undercooling of hybridliquids and rapid crystallization of skeletal olivine (Fo_88–73),strongly-zoned clinopyroxene (endiopside-augite), calcic plagioclase(An_65–60); and orthopyroxene (bronzite), whereas low-temperaturephenocrysts derived from hornblende dacite were resorbed ordecomposed by hybrid melts. Quartz reacted to form coronas ofacicular augite and hydroxylated silicates were heated to temperaturesabove their thermal stability limit ({small tilde}940?C foramphibole, according to clinopyroxene-orthopyroxene geothermometry,and {small tilde}880?C for biotite). Calculations of phenocrystresidence times in hybrid liquids based on reaction rates suggestthat the time lapse between magma chamber recharge and eruptionwas extremely short (hours to days). It is inferred that mixing of magmas of diverse compositionis driven by convective turbulence generated by large differencesin temperature between end-members. The mixing mechanism involves:(1)rapid homogenization of contrasting residual liquid compositionsby thermal erosion and diffusive transfer (liquid blending);(2) assimilation of phenocrysts derived from the low-temperatureend-member; and (3) dynamic fractional crystallization of rapidlyevolving hybrid liquids in a turbulent boundary layer separatingbasaltic and dacitic magmas. The mixed lavas of lztacc?huatlrepresent samples of this boundary layer quenched by eruption.     

Magma Evolution of the Sete Cidades Volcano, Sao Miguel, Azores

The Sete Cidades volcano (São Miguel, Azores) is situatedat the eastern end of the ultraslow spreading Terceira riftaxis. The volcano comprises several dominantly basaltic pre-calderaeruptions, a trachytic caldera-forming stage and a post-calderastage consisting of alternating trachytic and basaltic eruptions.The post-caldera flank lavas are more primitive (>5 wt %MgO) than the pre-caldera lavas, implying extended fractionalcrystallization and longer crustal residence times for the pre-caldera,shield-building lavas. Thermobarometric estimates show thatthe ascending alkali basaltic magmas stagnated and crystallizedat the crust–mantle boundary (15 km depth), whereas themore evolved magmas mainly fractionated in the upper crust (3km depth). The caldera-forming eruption was triggered by a basalticinjection into a shallow trachytic magma chamber. Lavas fromall stages follow a single, continuous liquid line of descentfrom alkali basalt to trachyte, although slight differencesin incompatible element (e.g. Ba/Nb, La/Nb) and Sr isotope ratiosimply some heterogeneity of the mantle source. Major and traceelement data suggest similar partial melting processes throughoutthe evolution of the volcano. Slight geochemical differencesbetween post- and pre-caldera stage lavas from the Sete Cidadesvolcanic system indicate a variation in the mantle source compositionwith time. The oxygen fugacity increased from the pre-calderato the post-caldera stage lavas, probably as a result of theassimilation of crustal rocks; this is supported by the presenceof crustal xenoliths in the lavas of the flank vents. The lavasfrom the Sete Cidades volcano generally have low Sr isotoperatios; however, rocks from one post-caldera vent on the westernflank indicate mixing with magmas resembling the lavas fromthe neighbouring Agua de Pau volcano, having higher Sr isotoperatios. The different magma sources at Sete Cidades and theadjacent Agua de Pau volcano imply that, despite their closeproximity, there is only limited interaction between them. KEY WORDS: crystallization depth; fractionation; stratigraphy; Terceira rift; volcanic stages     

Microchemical and Sr Isotopic Investigation of Zoned K-feldspar Megacrysts: Insights into the Petrogenesis of a Granitic System and Disequilibrium Crystal Growth

K-feldspar megacrysts (Kfm) are used to investigate the magmaticevolution of the 7 Ma Monte Capanne (MC) monzogranite (Elba,Italy). Dissolution and regrowth of Kfm during magma mixingor mingling events produce indented resorption surfaces associatedwith high Ba contents. Diffusion calculations demonstrate thatKfm chemical zoning is primary. Core-to-rim variations in Ba,Rb, Sr, Li and P support magma mixing (i.e. high Ba and P andlow Rb/Sr at rims), but more complex variations require othermechanisms. In particular, we show that disequilibrium growth(related to variations in diffusion rates in the melt) may haveoccurred as a result of thermal disturbance following influxof mafic magma in the magma chamber. Initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios(I_Sr) (obtained by microdrilling) decrease from core to rim.Inner core analyses define a mixing trend extending towardsa high I_Sr–Rb/Sr melt component, whereas the outer coresand rims display a more restricted range of I_Sr, but a largerrange of Rb/Sr. Lower I_Sr at the rim of one megacryst suggestsmixing with high-K calc-alkaline mantle-derived volcanics ofsimilar age on Capraia. Trace element and isotopic profilessuggest (1) early megacryst growth in magmas contaminated bycrust and refreshed by high I_Sr silicic melts (as seen in theinner cores) and (2) later recharge with mafic magmas (as seenin the outer cores) followed by (3) crystal fractionation, withpossible interaction with hydrothermal fluids (as seen in therim). The model is compatible with the field occurrence of maficenclaves and xenoliths. KEY WORDS: Elba; monzogranite; K-feldspar megacrysts; zoning; magma mixing; trace element; Sr isotopes; petrogenesis     

The Role of Open-System Processes in the Development of Silicic Magma Chambers: a Chemical and Isotopic Investigation of the Fogo A Trachyte Deposit, Sao Miguel, Azores

The processes operating in the development of chemical zonationin silicic magma chambers have been addressed with a Sr–Nd–Pb–Hf–Thisotope study of the chemically zoned trachyte pumice depositof the Fogo A eruption, Fogo volcano, Azores. Sr isotopic variationis observed in whole rocks, glass separates and sanidine phenocrysts(whole-rock ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr: 0·7049–0·7061; glass⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr: 0·7048–0·7052; sanidine ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr:0·7048–0·7062). Thorium isotopic variationis observed in glass separates, with (²³⁰Th/²³²Th)_o rangingfrom 0·8737 to 0·8841, and exhibiting a negativecorrelation with Sr isotopes. The Nd, Pb and Hf isotopic compositionsof the whole-rock trachytic pumices are invariant and indistinguishablefrom basalts flanking the volcano. The Sr isotope variationsin the whole rocks are proposed to be the result of three distinctprocesses: contamination of the Fogo A magma by assimilationof radiogenic seawater-altered syenite wall rock, to explainthe Sr and Th isotopic compositions of the glass separates;incorporation of xenocrysts into the trachytic magma, requiredto explain the range in feldspar Sr isotopic compositions; andpost-eruptive surface alteration. This study emphasizes theimportance of determining the isotopic composition of glassand mineral separates rather than whole rocks when pre-eruptivemagmatic processes are being investigated. KEY WORDS: Azores; open-system processes; Sr isotopes; trachytic pumices; zoned magma chambers