Geochemical constraints on the origin of bimodal magmatism at the Okinawa Trough, an incipient back-arc basin

The magmatism at the axial zone of the middle Okinawa Trough, a young continental back-arc basin, comprises a bimodal basaltic–rhyolitic suite, accompanied by minor intermediate rocks. We report major and trace element and Sr–Nd isotopic data for the intermediate to silicic suites, to provide constraints on their petrogenesis. The rhyolites, recovered as lava and pumice, fall into three geochemical groups (type 1, 2, and 3 rhyolites). Type 1 rhyolites have ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr (0.7040–0.7042) and ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd (0.5128–0.5129) identical to those of associated basalts, and are characterized by highly fractionated REE patterns. Petrogenesis of type 1 rhyolites is explicable in terms of fractional crystallization of the associated basalt. In contrast, type 2 rhyolites and andesite have slightly higher ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr (0.7044–0.7047) but similar ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd (0.5128) compared to those of the basalts. The compositions of type 2 rhyolite and andesite can be explained by assimilation and fractional crystallization (AFC) processes of the basalt magma; quantitative analysis suggests assimilation/fractional crystallization (M_a/M_c) ratios of ≤0.05. Hybrid andesite generated by mixing of evolved basalt and type 1 rhyolite is also present. We emphasize that mechanical extension in this part of the Okinawa Trough involves gabbroic lower crust that resulted from fractionation of mantle-derived basaltic magmas. Type 3 rhyolite occurs only as pumice, which makes its derivation questionable. This rhyolite has major and trace element compositions and Sr–Nd isotopic ratios, which suggests that it may be derived from volcanic activity on the southern Ryukyu volcanic front, and arrived in the Okinawa Trough by drifting on the Kuroshio Current.     

冲绳海槽火山岩地球化学特征及岩浆源区地幔性质探讨

冲绳海槽是因菲律宾海板块俯冲于欧亚板块之下,在陆壳上发育起来的一个初始的弧后盆地,是研究弧后扩张作用早期盆地演化、岩浆作用和壳幔过程的天然实验室.尽管迄今对冲绳海槽已经做了大量的调查研究工作,但仍存在一些颇有争议或亟待解决的科学问题,如:冲绳海槽酸性浮岩与基性玄武岩之间的成因联系,冲绳海槽不同区段构造背景对岩浆作用的控...     

Late Ordovician (Sandbian) brachiopods from the Mweelrea Formation,South Mayo,western Ireland: stratigraphic and tectonic implications

A Late Ordovician (Sandbian), Scoto‐Appalachian brachiopod fauna from the Mweelrea Formation in western Ireland confirms a location for the South Mayo Trough adjacent to the Laurentian margin, characterized at this time by a succession of marine excursions over fluviatile environments. The new, younger biostratigraphical data help to constrain the timing of late Grampian folding of this part of the South Mayo Trough. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.