A North-South Transect across the Central Mexican Volcanic Belt at ~100{degrees}W: Spatial Distribution, Petrological, Geochemical, and Isotopic Characteristics of Quaternary Volcanism

Within the Zitácuaro–Valle de Bravo (ZVB) regionof the central Mexican Volcanic Belt (MVB), three lava serieshave erupted during the Quaternary: (1) high-K₂O basaltic andesitesand andesites; (2) medium-K₂O basaltic andesites, andesitesand dacites; (3) high-TiO₂ basalts and basaltic andesites. Thedominant feature of the first two groups is the lack of plagioclaseaccompanying the various ferromagnesian phenocrysts (olivine,orthopyroxene, augite, and hornblende) in all but the dacites.This absence of plagioclase in the phenocryst assemblages ofthe high-K₂O and medium-K₂O intermediate lavas is significantbecause it indicates high water contents during the stage ofphenocryst equilibration. In contrast, the high-TiO₂ group ischaracterized by phenocrysts of plagioclase and olivine. Thespatial distribution of these three lava series is systematic.The southern section of the ZVB transect, 280–330 km fromthe Middle America Trench (MAT), is characterized by high-K₂Omelts that are relatively enriched in fluid-mobile elementsand have the highest ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios. Medium-K₂O basaltic andesiteand andesite lavas are present throughout the transect, butthose closest to the MAT are MgO-rich (3·5–9·4wt %) and have phenocryst assemblages indicative of high magmaticwater contents (3·5–6·5 wt % water) andrelatively low temperatures (950–1000°C). In markedcontrast, the northern section of the ZVB transect (380–480km from the MAT) has high-TiO₂, high field strength element(HFSE)-enriched magmas that have comparatively dry (< 1·5wt % magmatic water) and hot (1100–1200°C) phenocrystequilibration conditions. The central section of the ZVB transect(330–380 km from the MAT) is a transition zone and producesmoderately light rare earth element (LREE) and large ion lithophileelement (LILE)-enriched, medium-K₂O lavas with phenocryst assemblagesindicative of intermediate (1·5–3·5 wt %)water contents and temperatures. The high-K₂O series compositionsare the most enriched in LILE and LREE, with a narrow rangeof radiogenic ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr from 0·704245 to 0·704507,¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd values ranging from 0·512857 to 0·512927(_Nd = 4·27–5·63), and ²⁰⁸Pb/²⁰⁴Pb valuesfrom 38·248 to 38·442, ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁴Pb values from15·563 to 15·585, and ²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb values from18·598 to 18·688. The medium-K₂O series compositionsare only moderately enriched in the LILE and LREE, with a broaderrange of ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr, but similar ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd and ²⁰⁸Pb/²⁰⁴Pbvalues to those of the high-K₂O series. In contrast, the high-TiO₂series compositions have little enrichment in LILE or LREE andinstead are enriched in the HFSE and heavy rare earth elements(HREE). The high-TiO₂ lavas are isotopically distinct in theirlower and narrower range of ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd. The isotopic variationsare believed to reflect the upper mantle magma source regionsas the low content of phenocrysts in most lavas precludes significantupper crustal assimilation or magma mixing, other than thatrepresented by the presence of quartz xenocrysts (< 2 vol.%) with rhyolitic glass inclusions, which are found in manyof these lavas. The systematic spatial variation in compositionof the three lava series is a reflection of the underlying subduction-modifiedmantle and its evolution. KEY WORDS: central Mexico; geochemistry; isotopes; Quaternary volcanism; hydrous lavas