洋脊和年轻洋壳俯冲与埃达克岩生成的热模拟

新生代以来 ,环太平洋周边分布的埃达克岩 (Adakite)主要与年轻洋壳俯冲时在 70～ 90km深处的部分熔融有关。利用数值方法 ,模拟了洋壳俯冲的热演化过程并讨论了脱水、熔融对埃达克岩浆活动的影响。结果表明 :仅在活动海岭俯冲前后约 10Ma内 ,年轻的、热的俯冲海洋板片在 75～85km深度范围内 ,温度升高至 82 5～ 10 0 0℃脱水 ,导致年轻洋壳中角闪岩部分熔融 ,形成埃达克岩(Adakite)。而一般洋壳俯冲在 10 0km以下深度才脱水 ,由于脱水区压力较高洋壳自身不能熔融 ,水进入上覆地幔楔状体导致部分熔融 ,形成安山岩 (Andesite     

三维数值模拟研究俯冲区火山的时空活动性

俯冲板块的深部脱水使得上覆地幔含水, 从而降低含水地幔的熔点, 导致上覆地幔部分熔融。 部分熔融的地幔柱一旦喷发到地表就是俯冲带火山, 也形成新的地壳。 相对于周围的地幔来讲, 具有较小密度和黏度的部分熔融地幔的时空活动性就控制着俯冲带火山的时空分布特征。 本文主要回顾近年来运用三维热力学岩石力学模型数值模拟研究与板片脱水相关的俯冲带火山活动的时空分布特性。 结果表明, 部分熔融地幔的有效黏度和密度是影响俯冲板片之上的三维地幔柱横向分布特征的主要因素。 高黏度的部分熔融地幔(10²⁰~10²¹ Pa·s )易于形成近平行于海沟的、 长波长(70~100 km)的、 薄的波状地幔柱; 低黏度(10¹⁸~10¹⁹ Pa·s )的熔融地幔易于形成平行于海沟的, 短波长(30~50 km)的蘑菇状地幔柱和垂直于海沟的山脊状地幔柱。 当部分熔融地幔和周围地幔的密度相差小于50 kg/m³时, 在俯冲板片之上只能形成长波长低幅度(宽50~100 km, 高10~15 km)的地幔山丘。 岩浆产率随着时间的变化反映了火山活动的生命周期性。 板块俯冲速度会影响地幔柱形成的深度和范围大小。 高效率熔融提取会增加新地壳增长总量。 低的板块俯冲速度和低的熔融提取效率会增加上地壳(花岗岩质)和中地壳(英安岩质)化学成分的比例。 数值模拟结果可以很好地解释如日本东北、 新西兰、 南阿拉斯加俯冲区火山的横向分布特征。     

俯冲带中的水迁移

水从俯冲地壳迁移到地幔主要受地壳中含水矿物的稳定性支配,而俯冲带的热结构是决定俯冲地壳在哪个深度发生脱水的关键.大洋俯冲带的地温梯度变化很大,既有冷俯冲带也有热俯冲带,但是地震活动和弧火山作用在冷俯冲带相对突出.大陆俯冲带的地温梯度较低,地壳岩石总是在冷俯冲带发生变质作用,但是缺乏同俯冲弧火山作用.超冷俯冲带地温梯度很低(?5℃/km),俯冲地壳中的硬柱石可以把水带到?300km的深度.热俯冲带地温梯度很高(25℃/km),俯冲地壳在浅部就大量脱水,在80km的深度会产生长英质熔体.由于水大量溶解在这种熔体中,结果只有少量的水会运移到80~160km的弧下深度.在这两种脱水方式之外还存在大量介于两者之间的方式,使得俯冲带表现出多种水迁移现象.在暖俯冲带,低温/低压含水矿物在俯冲到60~80km的弧前深度时就发生分解,释放出大量的水.在冷俯冲带,低温/低压含水矿物随俯冲深度增加转变成低温/高压含水矿物,允许大量的水被迁移到弧下深度.无论在何种情况下,俯冲地壳的脱水不仅启动了地震活动,而且引起了地幔楔的水化.不过,总有少量水被超高压含水矿物和名义上无水矿物带至更深部地幔.俯冲板片之上的地幔楔并没有因为水的加入而立即发生部分熔融引起弧火山作用,而是首先在板片-地幔界面上发生水化.由于这里温度最低,比水化橄榄岩的湿固相线要低几百度,结果直到水化橄榄岩受到加热之后才能发生部分熔融.因此,弧火山作用一般发生在地幔楔被流体交代之后的某个时间.     

水与地幔的部分熔融

水对于地幔的部分熔融发挥了关键作用.地幔岩浆作用主要发生在板块边界(俯冲带和洋中脊)和若干板内热异常区域.在大洋俯冲带,俯冲板片释出的水可以诱发上覆地幔楔甚至板片自身发生熔融,导致弧岩浆作用,也有可能形成超临界流体.板片熔融和产生超临界流体的物理化学条件仍存在争议.在洋中脊和板内热异常区域,水和CO_2使上涌地幔发生熔融的起始深度增加,熔融比例增大.在地球深部层圈边界可能发生低程度的地幔熔融,如岩石圈和软流圈边界、上地幔和过渡带边界、过渡带和下地幔边界等,其成因一般认为与边界两侧矿物储水能力的差异有关.水可以促进地幔岩石熔融的根本原因在于水是一种不相容组分,强烈倾向于富集在硅酸盐熔体相(矿物-熔体的水分配系数远小于1),从而令其吉布斯自由能降低.前人对水在橄榄石、辉石和石榴石等地幔矿物与熔体之间的分配行为已经研究得比较充分,但水对硅酸盐熔体密度和迁移性质的影响还需要更进一步的高温高压实验和计算制约.     

大洋俯冲带变质作用、流体行为与岩浆作用

依据有效的实验岩石学和相平衡模拟结果、结合俯冲带热结构模型,讨论了大洋地壳中的基性岩、沉积岩和超基性岩在不同俯冲阶段发生的脱水和熔融作用,及其对俯冲带岩浆作用的影响.大多数洋壳在弧前(90～100km)俯冲阶段基性岩和超基性岩脱水很少,明显脱水作用发生在表层沉积物中.在弧下俯冲阶段基性岩和超基性岩都发生强烈脱水,如基性岩中90%以上的水是由绿泥石、蓝闪石、滑石和硬柱石相继在弧下100～200km深度分解释放的,这与以往基于实验模拟得到的结果大不相同;超基性岩在弧下120～220km深度发生叶蛇纹石、绿泥石和10?相脱水;但变质沉积岩在弧下深度对流体贡献不大,其主要含水矿物为多硅白云母,可以一直稳定至300km深处分解成钾锰钡矿,多硅白云母分解后直到地幔过渡带深度俯冲洋壳板片不再有明显流体释放.在少数热俯冲带中,变质沉积岩和基性岩都可以发生部分熔融(尤其是水化熔融)形成富水花岗质熔体或超临界流体,含碳酸盐矿物的沉积物可以熔融形成含钾碳酸岩熔体.在少数冷俯冲带中,超基性岩中出现A相,可把水带至地幔过渡带深处.俯冲板片特别是沉积物可以携带很多强不相容的次要元素和微量元素,通过板片流体影响俯冲带岩浆岩的地球化学成分.在弧下俯冲阶段,俯冲带的地热梯度不穿过碳酸盐化榴辉岩和橄榄岩的固相线,其中的碳酸盐矿物可被携带到深部地幔.碳酸盐化榴辉岩会在400km深度发生熔融形成富碱的碳酸岩熔体,而碳酸盐化橄榄岩则不会在俯冲带下部的地幔过渡带中发生熔融.     

华北克拉通及东邻西太平洋活动大陆边缘地区的P波速度结构：对岩石圈减薄动力学过程的探讨

本文通过地震层析成像研究获得了华北克拉通及其东邻地区（30°N-50°N,95°E -145°E）1°×1°的P波速度扰动图像.结果显示,在西太平洋俯冲带地区,上地幔中西倾的板片状高速异常体与其上方的低速异常区构成俯冲带与上覆地幔楔的典型速度结构式样.俯冲板片高速体在约300~400 km深度范围内被低速物质充填,暗示俯冲板片可能发生了断离.在华北克拉通地区的上地幔中发现三个东倾排列的高速异常带.在此基础上,本文构建了华北克拉通及其东邻西太平洋活动大陆边缘地区的上地幔速度结构模式图,并据此探讨克拉通岩石圈减薄与西太平洋活动大陆边缘的深部动力学联系.本文认为,太平洋板片的俯冲（断离）,触发热地幔物质上涌并在上覆地幔楔中形成对流,使克拉通岩石圈受到改造（底侵与弱化）.随着俯冲板片后撤,地幔楔中的对流场以及对岩石圈改造的影响范围均随之东移,最终导致华北克拉通岩石圈自下而上、从西向东分三个阶段依次拆沉减薄.这一模式能很好地解释现今克拉通岩石圈自西向东呈台阶状减薄的深部现象.     

大地幔楔与克拉通破坏型金矿

环太平洋俯冲带是全球著名的金矿成矿域,其中华北克拉通和内华达是环太平洋俯冲带最重要的两个金成矿省,其成因分别与华北克拉通和怀俄明克拉通的破坏有关,成矿流体可能与俯冲板块在地幔过渡带的滞留相关.俯冲的大洋岩石圈地幔通常有数千米厚的蛇纹石化层,在板块俯冲过程中,蛇纹石在小于200km的深度内脱水转变为高压含水相——phase A,将水带到大于300km的深处.当滞留在地幔过渡带的俯冲板片中含水高压相脱水,会导致上覆大地幔楔的水化,这是克拉通破坏型金矿形成的先决条件.俯冲板片脱水释放出的富硫流体萃取周围岩石中的金等亲硫元素,形成富金流体.由于克拉通地温线低于二辉橄榄岩水饱和固相线,流体在克拉通岩石圈地幔内向上运移到100km以浅后交代岩石圈地幔,形成韭闪石等含水矿物,在克拉通岩石圈地幔中形成富水、富金的弱化层.随着克拉通岩石圈的破坏,该弱化层失稳,释放含金流体,并沿地壳浅部薄弱带迁移、聚集和沉淀,形成爆发式金矿床.由此可见,大地幔楔是形成克拉通地幔含矿弱化层,进而导致金爆发式成矿的关键.俯冲板片析出的流体富含二价铁,流体向上运移过程中,二价铁在低压下发生水解,释放出氢气;地幔楔岩浆岩可以具有较高的氧逸度,而成矿流体则是还原性的——即克拉通破坏型金矿往往属于还原性矿床.     

俯冲隧道中的部分熔融和壳幔相互作用:实验岩石学制约

俯冲隧道模型提出,俯冲板片界面相互作用是实现地球表层与内部之间物质和能量交换的基本机制.由于大陆岩石圈与大洋岩石圈在物质组成和状态上的显著差异,其深部物理和化学过程及壳幔相互作用产物必然出现一系列差异.许多实验岩石学研究已经为大洋俯冲隧道中可能发生的硅酸盐和碳酸盐岩石的部分熔融和壳幔相互作用提供了资料.无论是基性还是中酸性硅酸盐岩体系,取决于部分熔融发生的压力或深度,熔体是具有或不具有埃达克岩性质的花岗质熔体.微量CO2即可大幅降低橄榄岩的熔点,所形成的碳酸盐熔体可有效萃取岩石体系中不相容微量元素.这些硅饱和或不饱和熔体均可以在俯冲隧道或地幔深部条件下与地幔楔橄榄岩发生反应,形成复杂的反应过程和产物.但已有的实验结果主要是针对大洋岛弧环境条件而不是大陆俯冲带的环境.因此,高温高压实验需要充分考虑大陆俯冲隧道中板片-地幔界面上各种不同成分地壳及其衍生的熔/流体成分与不同橄榄岩之间的反应,并结合大陆俯冲带岩石部分熔融和壳幔相互作用的地质证据,以阐明大陆俯冲隧道过程中的变质脱水、部分熔融和地幔交代等问题.     

华北中生代镁铁质岩浆作用与克拉通减薄和破坏

华北克拉通在中生代发生了岩石圈减薄,古老的大陆岩石圈地幔在减薄后被年轻的新生岩石圈地幔所取代.与此同时,华北克拉通发生了破坏,以大规模早白垩世岩浆作用为标志.尽管对这个现象有了共识,但是对华北克拉通岩石圈破坏的机制仍然存在争议.文章以华北中生代镁铁质岩浆作用为视角,试图对上述争议提出解决办法.华北中生代镁铁质岩浆作用以早白垩世的~121Ma为分界点,在此之前的镁铁质岩浆岩兼具岛弧玄武岩微量元素组成和明显富集Sr-Nd同位素组成的特点,而在此之后才开始出现兼具洋岛玄武岩微量元素组成和亏损至弱富集Sr-Nd同位素组成的镁铁质岩浆岩.这个差异表明,华北克拉通岩石圈地幔的地球化学性质在~121Ma发生了根本性转变.尽管华北克拉通在晚三叠世也出现过镁铁质岩浆作用,但是其成因是深俯冲华南陆块折返的结果,而古太平洋板块俯冲在那时尚未启动.古太平洋板块自侏罗纪开始向欧亚大陆东部之下俯冲,俯冲板片与上覆岩石圈地幔楔之间处于耦合状态,是俯冲板片脱水导致华北克拉通地幔的弱化阶段.古老岛弧型镁铁质岩浆岩的地幔源区可能既有侏罗纪时期俯冲古太平洋板片衍生流体与华北克拉通岩石圈地幔之间反应的产物,也有三叠纪时期俯冲华南陆壳衍生熔体与华北克拉通岩石圈地幔之间反应的产物.对于新生洋岛型镁铁质岩浆岩的地幔源区来说,则可能是俯冲古太平洋板片衍生熔体与华北岩石圈之下软流圈地幔之间反应的产物.从~144Ma开始,俯冲的古太平洋板片发生回卷,克拉通岩石圈底部受到侧向充填的软流圈地幔加热,导致弱化的克拉通岩石圈地幔发生减薄.在130~120Ma期间,减薄后的大陆岩石圈发生大规模破坏,不仅地幔楔下部超镁铁质交代岩发生部分熔融形成具有古老岛弧型地球化学信息的镁铁质岩浆岩,而且这些地区的下地壳岩石也受到加热发生大规模长英质岩浆作用.与此同时,回卷板片地壳岩石受到侧向充填的软流圈地幔加热,产生长英质熔体交代上覆软流圈地幔橄榄岩,这样在~121Ma开始部分熔融形成具有新生洋岛型地球化学信息的镁铁质岩浆岩,标志着华北克拉通岩石圈地幔已经被新生岩石圈地幔所取代.古太平洋板片在中生代时期向中国东部大陆之下的俯冲并不像现今地震层析成像所观察到的那样直接俯冲至地幔过渡带,而是像纳斯卡板块向美洲大陆之下俯冲那样为低角度俯冲.这种低角度俯冲不仅物理上可以直接侵蚀岩石圈地幔,而且化学上可以交代岩石圈地幔.因此,古太平洋板片与大陆岩石圈地幔之间的相互作用才是导致华北克拉通岩石圈地幔减薄和破坏的一级地球动力学机制.     

中国东部大陆岩石圈地幔及幔源岩浆岩水含量和氢同位素组成

中国东部华北陆块和华南陆块的地幔包体单矿物和全岩水含量变化很大,总体低于全球其他克拉通和非克拉通岩石圈地幔包体单矿物和全岩水含量.然而,具有新生岩石圈地幔来源的莒南橄榄岩包体单矿物和全岩水含量总体高于其他中国东部岩石圈地幔包体,指示中国东部新生岩石圈地幔的初始水含量并不低.地幔包体中单矿物水含量与Mg~#之间无明显相关关系,其中的辉石缺乏水扩散环带,因此地幔包体的低水含量与包体随玄武岩岩浆上升过程的水扩散丢失无关.大陆岩石圈地幔底部受到热软流圈地幔烘烤有可能会造成水的扩散丢失,但是熔体提取也可能是引起低水含量的原因之一.通过斑晶水含量计算得到的中国东部中生代和新生代玄武岩初始熔体水含量均高于正常洋中脊玄武岩.中生代玄武岩初始熔体水含量与岛弧玄武岩类似,而新生代玄武岩初始熔体水含量则与洋岛玄武岩和弧后盆地玄武岩类似(部分地区与岛弧玄武岩类似).这些结果表明,大陆玄武岩地幔源区相对富水,指示其地幔源区曾经受到深俯冲地壳脱水所形成的富水流体/含水熔体的交代,使其水含量升高.中国东部新生代幔源巨晶、包体矿物和玄武岩斑晶的氢同位素组成变化也很大,反映中国东部新生代岩石圈地幔氢同位素组成高度不均一.新生代岩石圈地幔具有高于亏损地幔的水含量和偏离亏损地幔值的氢同位素组成,反映其受到过俯冲太平洋板片部分熔融所产生熔体的交代.俯冲大洋板片脱水熔融产生的富水流体和含水熔体对大陆岩石圈地幔底部的交代导致其水含量增加,引起底部岩石黏滞度降低,进而导致岩石强度的降低,使其容易被构造侵蚀乃至拆沉.因此,大洋俯冲隧道中的壳幔相互作用是克拉通岩石圈减薄的重要诱因.     

Simple 2-D models for melt extraction at mid-ocean ridges and island arcs

A general set of 2-D equations for the conservation of mass and momentum of a two-phase system of melt in a deformable matrix is used to derive analytic solutions for the corner flow of a constant porosity melt-saturated porous medium. This solution is used to model the melt extraction processes at mid-ocean ridges and island arcs. The models indicate that flow of melt is controlled by pressure gradients induced by the Laplacian of the matrix velocity field and by the dimensionless percolation velocity which measures the relative contributions of buoyancy-driven flow to advection by the matrix. The models can account for many features of ridge and arc volcanism. Matrix corner flow at ridges causes melt to be drawn to the ridge axis enabling the extraction of small melt fractions from a wide melting zone while showing a narrow zone of volcanism at the surface. At subduction zones melts do not percolate vertically but are drawn to the junction of the upper plate and subducting slab by corner flow in the mantle wedge. For subduction zones, if the dimensionless percolation velocity is below a critical value, slab-derived fluids will be carried down by the matrix and cannot interact with the mantle wedge. The geochemistry of island arcs will be controlled by the geometry of melt streamlines. This model is consistent with geophysical and geochemical data from the Aleutian arc.     

The transport of water in subduction zones

The transport of water from subducting crust into the mantle is mainly dictated by the stability of hydrous minerals in subduction zones. The thermal structure of subduction zones is a key to dehydration of the subducting crust at different depths. Oceanic subduction zones show a large variation in the geotherm, but seismicity and arc volcanism are only prominent in cold subduction zones where geothermal gradients are low. In contrast, continental subduction zones have low geothermal gradients, resulting in metamorphism in cold subduction zones and the absence of arc volcanism during subduction. In very cold subduction zone where the geothermal gradient is very low(?5?C/km), lawsonite may carry water into great depths of ?300 km. In the hot subduction zone where the geothermal gradient is high(25?C/km), the subducting crust dehydrates significantly at shallow depths and may partially melt at depths of 80 km to form felsic melts, into which water is highly dissolved. In this case, only a minor amount of water can be transported into great depths. A number of intermediate modes are present between these two end-member dehydration modes, making subduction-zone dehydration various. Low-T/low-P hydrous minerals are not stable in warm subduction zones with increasing subduction depths and thus break down at forearc depths of ?60–80 km to release large amounts of water. In contrast, the low-T/low-P hydrous minerals are replaced by low-T/high-P hydrous minerals in cold subduction zones with increasing subduction depths, allowing the water to be transported to subarc depths of 80–160 km. In either case, dehydration reactions not only trigger seismicity in the subducting crust but also cause hydration of the mantle wedge. Nevertheless, there are still minor amounts of water to be transported by ultrahigh-pressure hydrous minerals and nominally anhydrous minerals into the deeper mantle. The mantle wedge overlying the subducting slab does not partially melt upon water influx for volcanic arc magmatism, but it is hydrated at first with the lowest temperature at the slab-mantle interface, several hundreds of degree lower than the wet solidus of hydrated peridotites. The hydrated peridotites may undergo partial melting upon heating at a later time. Therefore, the water flux from the subducting crust into the overlying mantle wedge does not trigger the volcanic arc magmatism immediately.     

Late Paleozoic adakites and Nb-enriched basalts from northern Xinjiang, northwest China: Evidence for the southward subduction of the Paleo-Asian Oceanic Plate

Abstract   Volcanic rocks consisting of adakite and Nb-enriched basalt are found in the early Devonian Tuoranggekuduke Group in the northern margin of the Kazakhstan-Junggar Plate, northern Xinjiang, northwest China. The geochemical characteristics of the andesitic and dacitic rocks in this area resemble that of adakites. The relatively high Al₂O₃, Na₂O and MgO content and Mg^♯ values indicate that the adakites were generated in relation to oceanic slab subduction rather than the partial melting of basaltic crust. A slightly higher SrI and a lower ɛ _Nd( t  = 375 Ma) compared to adakites of mid-oceanic ridge basalt (MORB) imply that slab sediments were incorporated into these adakites during slab melting. The Nb-enriched basalt lavas, which are intercalated in adakite lava suite, are silica saturated and are distinguished from the typical arc basalts by their higher Nb and Ti content (high field strength element enrichment). They are derived from the partial melting of the slab melt-metasomatized mantle wedge peridotite. Apparently, positive Sr anomalies and a slightly higher heavy rare earth element content in these adakites compared to their Cenozoic counterparts indicate that the geothermal gradient in the Paleo-Asian Oceanic subduction zone and the depth of the Paleo-Asian Oceanic slab melting are between those of their Archean and Cenozoic counterparts. The distribution of the adakites and Nb-enriched basalts in the northern margin of the Kazakhstan-Junggar Plate, northern Xinjiang, indicates that the Paleo-Asian Oceanic Plate subducted southward beneath the Kazakhstan-Junggar Plate in the early Devonian period.     

The big mantle wedge and decratonic gold deposits

The Circum-Pacific subduction zone is a famous gold metallogenic domain in the world, with two important gold metallogenic provinces, the North China Craton and Nevada, which are related to the destruction of the North China Craton and the Wyoming Craton, respectively. Their ore-forming fluids were possibly derived from the stagnant slab in the mantle transition zone. The oceanic lithospheric mantle usually contains serpentine layers up to thousands of meters thick. During plate subduction, serpentine is dehydrated at depths of 200 km and transformed into high-pressure hydrous minerals, known as Phases A to E, which carries water to the depth of 300 km. The overlying big mantle wedge is hydrated during the breakdown of these hydrous facies in the mantle transition zone. The dehydration of the subducted slab in the big mantle wedge releases sulfur-rich fluid, which extracts gold and other chalcophile elements in the surrounding rocks, forming gold-rich fluid. Because the cratonic geotherm is lower than the water-saturated solidus line of lherzolite, the fluid cannot trigger partial melting. Instead, it induces metasomatism and forms pargasite and other water-bearing minerals when it migrates upward to depths of less than 100 km in the cratonic lithospheric mantle, resulting in a water-and gold-rich weak layer. During the destruction of craton, the weak layer is destabilized, releasing gold-bearing fluids that accelerate the destruction. The ore-forming fluids migrate along the shallow weak zone and are accumulated at shallow depths, and subsequently escape along deep faults during major tectonic events, leading to explosive gold mineralization. The ore-forming fluids are rich in ferrous iron, which releases hydrogen at low pressure through iron hydrolysis. Therefore, decratonic gold deposits are often reduced deposits.     

Comparison between the Chile and Mexico triple junction areas substantiates slab window development beneath northwestern Mexico during the past 12-10 Myr

When combined with the Miocene-Recent volcanic record of Baja California, a parallel drawn between the Chile and Mexico triple junction areas substantiates slab window development beneath northwestern Mexico during the past 12-10 Myr. The slab-free zone manifestations challenge the notion that ridge subduction has not occurred beneath the southern Baja California peninsula. The geochemically distinctive rocks from the Santa Clara volcanic field of west-central Baja California, including coeval adakites and niobium-enriched basalt, are commonly inferred to signal partial melting of the subducting plate at shallow depths and relatively high temperatures, before slab dehydration occurs. Such PT conditions for slab melting have only been observed in association with spreading-ridge subduction. We propose that slab window development beneath southern Baja California and mainland Mexico (30° to 18°N) resulted from subduction of the East Pacific rise.     

Geodynamic modeling of thermal structure of subduction zones

During subduction processes, slabs continuously have heat exchange with the ambient mantle, including both conduction and advection effects. The evolution of slab thermal structure is one of the dominant factors in controlling physical and chemical property changes in subduction zones. It also affects our understanding of many key geological processes, such as mineral dehydration, rock partial melting, arc volcanism, and seismic activities in subduction zones. There are mainly two ways for studying thermal structure of subduction zones with geodynamic models: analytical model and numerical model. Analytical model provides insights into the most dominant controlling physical parameters on the thermal structure, such as slab age, velocity and dip angle, shear stress and thermal conductivity, etc. Numerical model can further deal with more complicated environments, such as viscosity change in the mantle wedge, coupling process between slabs and the ambient mantle, and incorporation of petrology and mineralogy. When applying geodynamic modeling results to specific subduction zones on the Earth, there are many factors which may complicate the process, therefore it is difficult to precisely constrain the thermal structure of subduction zones. With the development of new quantitative methods in geophysics and geochemistry, we may obtain more observational constraints for thermal structure of subduction zones, thus providing more reasonable explanations for geological processes related to subduction zones.     

Slab partial melts from the metasomatizing agent to adakite,Tafresh Eocene volcanic rocks,Iran

Geochemical and mineralogical characteristics of the Eocene volcanic succession in Tafresh area of the Urumieh–Dokhtar Magmatic Assemblage (UDMA) are unique in the 2000‐km‐length assemblage. Demonstrating rather steep rare earth element (REE) patterns and the widespread presence of amphibole (+biotite) phenocrysts are two distinct characters that dominate the Eocene volcanic succession of mainly andesitic composition. Coincidence of the geochemical and mineralogical characteristics of the whole volcanic succession with adakites, rather amphibole‐ (+biotite) rich dacitic (with 61–64 wt% SiO₂) stocks and dykes, is considered as the key in unraveling the role of ‘slab‐derived melt contribution’ in petrogenesis of the volcanic succession. Slab‐derived melting has been an ongoing process that metasomatized some parts of the mantle wedge from which hybrid rocks (andesites) are derived. Basalts with distinct signatures of slab melt metasomatism are yet another support for the occurrence of slab melting. Interlayering of normal, island‐arc‐type calc‐alkaline volcanic rocks with the slab‐melt metasomatized basalts and hybrid andesites suggests that the slab melting has been motivated by the subduction. Formation of the Tafresh Caldera, the likely consequence of an explosive eruption, is compatible with the volatile‐bearing nature of the adakitic volcanism in the study area. It is indicated by the ubiquitous presence of the hydrous minerals. Beneath the Tafresh area, in Eocene time, the subducting slab seems to have reached a critical high depth that is enough for the development of amphibolite–eclogite. The slab deformation, motivated by the geometry of subduction and/or the underlying mantle's steeper geotherms, is suggested to have resulted in the slab melting that helped develop a rock assemblage unique to the UDMA.     

Magmatic response to early aseismic ridge subduction: the Ecuadorian margin case (South America)

A geochemical and isotopic study of lavas from Pichincha, Antisana and Sumaco volcanoes in the Northern Volcanic Zone (NVZ) in Ecuador shows their magma genesis to be strongly influenced by slab melts. Pichincha lavas (in fore arc position) display all the characteristics of adakites (or slab melts) and were found in association with magnesian andesites. In the main arc, adakite-like lavas from Antisana volcano could be produced by the destabilization of pargasite in a garnet-rich mantle. In the back arc, high-niobium basalts found at Sumaco volcano could be produced in a phlogopite-rich mantle. The strikingly homogeneous isotopic signatures of all the lavas suggest that continental crust assimilation is limited and confirm that magmas from the three volcanic centers are closely related. The following magma genesis model is proposed in the NVZ in Ecuador: in fore arc position beneath Pichincha volcano, oceanic crust is able to melt and produces adakites. En route to the surface, part of these magmas metasomatize the mantle wedge inducing the crystallization of pargasite, phlogopite and garnet. In counterpart, they are enriched in magnesium and are placed at the surface as magnesian andesites. Dragged down by convection, the modified mantle undergoes a first partial melting event by the destabilization of pargasite and produces the adakite-like lavas from Antisana volcano. Lastly, dragged down deeper beneath the Sumaco volcano, the mantle melts a second time by the destabilization of phlogopite and produces high-niobium basalts. The obvious variation in spatial distribution (and geochemical characteristics) of the volcanism in the NVZ between Colombia and Ecuador clearly indicates that the subduction of the Carnegie Ridge beneath the Ecuadorian margin strongly influences the subduction-related volcanism. It is proposed that the flattening of the subducted slab induced by the recent subduction (<5 Ma?) of the Carnegie Ridge has permitted the progressive warming of the oceanic crust and its partial melting since ca. 1.5 Ma. Since then, the production of adakites in fore arc position has deeply transformed the magma genesis in the overall arc changing from ‘typical’ calc-alkaline magmatism induced by hydrous fluid metasomatism, to the space- and time-associated lithology adakite/high-Mg andesite/adakite-like andesite/high-Nb basalts characteristic of slab melt metasomatism.     

Adakitic magmas in the Ecuadorian Volcanic Front: Petrogenesis of the Iliniza Volcanic Complex (Ecuador)

The Iliniza Volcanic Complex (IVC) is a poorly known volcanic complex located 60 km SSW of Quito in the Western Cordillera of Ecuador. It comprises twin peaks, North Iliniza and South Iliniza, and two satellite domes, Pilongo and Tishigcuchi. The study of the IVC was undertaken in order to better constrain the role of adakitic magmas in the Ecuadorian arc evolution. The presence of volcanic rocks with an adakitic imprint or even pristine adakites in the Ecuadorian volcanic arc is known since the late 1990s. Adakitic magmas are produced by the partial melting of a basaltic source leaving a garnet rich residue. This process can be related to the melting of an overthickened crust or a subducting oceanic crust. For the last case a special geodynamic context is required, like the subduction of a young lithosphere or when the subduction angle is not very steep; both cases are possible in Ecuador. The products of the IVC, made up of medium-K basaltic andesites, andesites and dacites, have been divided in different geochemical series whose origin requires various interactions between the different magma sources involved in this subduction zone. North Iliniza is a classic calc-alkaline series that we interpret as resulting from the partial melting of the mantle wedge. For South Iliniza, a simple evolution with fractional crystallization of amphibole, plagioclase, clinopyroxene, magnetite, apatite and zircon from a parental magma, being itself the product of the mixing of 36% adakitic and 64% calc-alkaline magma, has been quantified. For the Santa Rosa rhyolites, a slab melting origin with little mantle interactions during the ascent of magmas has been established. The Pilongo series magma is the product of a moderate to high degree (26%) of partial melting of the subducting oceanic crust, which reached the surface without interaction with the mantle wedge. The Tishigcuchi series shows two stages of evolution: (1) metasomatism of the mantle wedge peridotite by slab melts, and (2) partial melting (10%) of this metasomatized source. Therefore, the relative ages of the edifices show a geochemical evolution from calc-alkaline to adakitic magmas, as is observed for several volcanoes of the Ecuadorian arc.