Formation and evolution of a metasomatized lithospheric root at the motionless Antarctic plate: the case of East Island, Crozet Archipelago (Indian Ocean)

Sitting atop the nearly stagnant Antarctic plate (ca. 6.46 mm/yr), the Crozet archipelago midway between Madagascar and Antarctica constitutes a region of unusually shallow (1543-1756 m below sea level) and thickened oceanic crust (10-16.5 km), high geoid height, and deep low-velocity zone, which may reflect the surface expression of a mantle plume. Here, we present new major and trace element data for Quaternary sub-aerial alkali basalts from East Island, the easterly and oldest island (ca. 9 Ma) of the Crozet archipelago. Crystallization at uppermost mantle depth and phenocryst accumulation have strongly affected their parental magma compositions. Their trace element patterns show a large negative K anomaly relative to Ta-La, moderate depletions in Rb and Ba with respect to Th-U, and heavy rare earth element (HREE) depletions relative to light REE. These characteristics allow limits to be placed upon the composition and mineralogy of their mantle source. The average trace element spectrum of East Island basalts can be matched by melting of about 2 % of a garnet-phlogopite-bearing peridotite source. The stability field of phlogopite restricts melting depth to lithospheric levels. The modelled source composition requires a multistage evolution, where the mantle has been depleted by melt extraction before having been metasomatized by alkali-rich plume melts. The depleted mantle component may be sourced by residual mantle plume remnants stagnated at the melting locus due to a weak lateral flow velocity inside the melting regime, whose accumulation progressively edifies a depleted lithospheric root above the plume core. Low-degree alkali-rich melts are likely derived from the plume source. Such a mantle source evolution may be general to both terrestrial and extraterrestrial environments where the lateral component velocity of the mantle flow field is extremely slow

Frictional Instabilities and Carbonation of Basalts Triggered by Injection of Pressurized H2O- and CO2- Rich Fluids

The safe application of geological carbon storage depends also on the seismic hazard associated with fluid injection. In this regard, we performed friction experiments using a rotary shear apparatus on precut basalts with variable degree of hydrothermal alteration by injecting distilled H2O, pure CO2, and H2O + CO2fluid mixtures under temperature, fluid pressure, and stress conditions relevant for large-scale subsurface CO2storage reservoirs. In all experiments, seismic slip was preceded by short-lived slip bursts. Seismic slip occurred at equivalent fluid pressures and normal stresses regardless of the fluid injected and degree of alteration of basalts. Injection of fluids caused also carbonation reactions and crystallization of new dolomite grains in the basalt-hosted faults sheared in H2O + CO2fluid mixtures. Fast mineral carbonation in the experiments might be explained by shear heating during seismic slip, evidencing the high chemical reactivity of basalts to H2O + CO2mixtures

Platinum-group elements link the end-Triassic mass extinction and the Central Atlantic Magmatic Province

Elevated concentrations of iridium (Ir) and other platinum-group elements (PGE) have been reported in both terrestrial and marine sediments associated with the end-Triassic mass extinction (ETE) c. 201.5 million years ago. The source of the PGEs has been attributed to condensed vapor and melt from an extraterrestrial impactor or to volcanism. Here we report new PGE data for volcanic rocks of the Central Atlantic Magmatic Province (CAMP) in Morocco and show that their Pd/Ir, Pt/Ir and Pt/Rh ratios are similar to marine and terrestrial sediments at the ETE, and very different from potential impactors. Hence, we propose the PGEs provide a new temporal correlation of CAMP volcanism to the ETE, corroborating the view that mass extinctions may be caused by volcanism

Geochemical modeling of basic pegmatites from Foz do Iguaçu in the Itaipu region, western Paraná, Brazil

In the westernmost portion of the state of Paraná, in the city of Foz do Iguaçu, basic pegmatites occur within inflated pahoehoe basaltic flows of the Paraná Igneous Province. Both rock groups are composed of similar mineral assemblages which include labradorite, augite, ilmenite and titano-magnetite, but pegmatites are medium to coarse grained, whereas basalts are fine grained. Host rocks are geochemically classified as basalts (s.s.), while pegmatitic segregations are basaltic andesite and basaltic trachy-andesite, according to the TAS [(Na2O + K2O) x SiO2] diagram. Based on the AFM [(Na2O + K2O) – (FeOtot) – (MgO)] diagram, all rocks are included in the tholeiitic series, classified as high-Fe tholeiite basalts in the cation plot [Al x (Fetot + Ti) x Mg]. Variation diagrams indicate enrichment of SiO2, TiO2, FeO, Na2O, K2O e P2O5 coupled with depletion of Al2O3, MgO e CaO from basalts to pegmatites. La/LuN ratios range between 5.4 to 6.5 for basalts and 6.3 to 7.9 for pegmatites reflecting a greater degree of fractionation in the pegmatitic segregations and, therefore, their more evolved character. Plagioclase crystals in pegmatites have higher sodic contents when compared to those found in host basalts, while CaO content in basaltic pyroxenes is higher than those from pegmatitic segregations. Trace element geochemical modeling results show that it is possible to generate basic pegmatites from basalts comprised of 55 wt.% plagioclase, 35 wt.% clinopyroxene and 10 wt.% titanium and iron oxides. The process occurs as fractional crystallization with 50% residual melt.No município de Foz do Iguaçu, Paraná, na região da barragem de Itaipu, ocorrem pegmatitos básicos hospedados em derrames basálticos do tipo pahoehoe inflados, da Província Ígnea do Paraná. Ambos os grupos de rochas são constituídos principalmente por labradorita, augita, ilmenita, titano-magnetita; os pegmatitos têm granulação média a grossa, enquanto os basaltos são de granulação fina. As rochas hospedeiras são classificadas geoquimicamente como basaltos e segregações pegmatíticas são andesi-basaltos e traquibasaltos, segundo o diagrama TAS [(Na2O+K2O) x SiO2]. As rochas agrupam-se no campo da série toleítica, de acordo com o diagrama AFM [(Na2O+K2O) – (FeOtotal) – (MgO)], sendo classificadas como basaltos toleíticos de alto-Fe em diagrama catiônico [Al x (Fetotal + Ti) x Mg]. Os diagramas de variação mostram enriquecimento em SiO2, TiO2, FeO, Na2O, K2O e P2O5 e empobrecimento em Al2O3, MgO e CaO dos basaltos até os pegmatitos. Razões La/LuN variam entre 5,4 a 6,5 nos basaltos e 6,3 a 7,9 nos pegmatitos, mostrando que as segregações pegmatíticas são geoquimicamente evoluídas em relação às suas rochas hospedeiras. Os cristais de plagioclásio nos pegmatitos são mais sódicos que aqueles encontrados nos basaltos hospedeiros; teores de CaO dos piroxênios nos basaltos são maiores quando comparados àqueles dos pegmatitos. Os resultados da modelagem geoquímica de elementos traço mostram que é possível que ocorra o fracionamento dos pegmatitos básicos a partir de basaltos com assembleia mineral composta por: 55 % em peso de plagioclásio, 35 % em peso de clinopiroxênio, 10,0 % em peso de óxidos de ferro e titânio. O processo ocorre como cristalização fracionada com 50% de fusão residual

A crystal/melt partitioning study for sulfur and halogens: pyroxenes as probes for assessing gas loads in LIP magmas

A link between magmatism from Large Igneous Provinces (LIPs) and mass extinctions has been observed at leastin five occasions in the Phanerozoic. Volatile species such as S, C and halogen compounds severely impactedthe global environment, released both from melts and thermal metamorphism of volatile-rich sediments. It is stillchallenging to obtain quantitative estimates of the degassed volatiles for ancient magmatic systems, particularly inthe absence of melt inclusions. We propose to fill the gap of knowledge on sulfur partitioning between mineralsand melts, at the aim of using phenocrysts as probes of volatile contents in the melts from which they crystallized.Measuring a volatile concentration in natural minerals (chiefly clinopyroxene) and combining it with an experi-mentally determined partition coefficient (KD), the volatile load in basaltic equilibrium melts can be calculated.We measured a clinopyroxene/melt sulfur KD of 0.0009\ub10.0001 for basaltic experiments performed at conditionstypical of LIP basalts (FMQ-2; 800-1000 MPa; 1000 \u30a-1350 \u30aC), through ion microprobe (Nordsim). Basaltic ex-periments were also simultaneously analyzed for Cl and F. For these elements the measured clinopyroxene/meltKDs were more variable, 0.0071\ub10.0052 and 0.1985\ub10.087, respectively. Compatibility of sulfur, chlorine andfluorine in clinopyroxene from basaltic systems is markedly different (F>Cl>S), in agreement with what observedby previous studies, and the partition coefficient is well constrained around 0.001 for S. Application of the newlymeasured sulfur KD to samples from thoroughly-dated lava piles from the Deccan Traps and from the SiberianTraps sills reveal that most of the basalts were at or near sulfide saturation (up to ca. 2000 ppm for low fO2melts)

Frictional Instabilities and Carbonation of Basalts Triggered by Injection of Pressurized H2O- and CO2- Rich Fluids

The safe application of geological carbon storage depends also on the seismic hazard associated with fluid injection. In this regard, we performed friction experiments using a rotary shear apparatus on precut basalts with variable degree of hydrothermal alteration by injecting distilled H2O, pure CO2, and H2O + CO2 fluid mixtures under temperature, fluid pressure, and stress conditions relevant for large-scale subsurface CO2 storage reservoirs. In all experiments, seismic slip was preceded by short-lived slip bursts. Seismic slip occurred at equivalent fluid pressures and normal stresses regardless of the fluid injected and degree of alteration of basalts. Injection of fluids caused also carbonation reactions and crystallization of new dolomite grains in the basalt-hosted faults sheared in H2O + CO2 fluid mixtures. Fast mineral carbonation in the experiments might be explained by shear heating during seismic slip, evidencing the high chemical reactivity of basalts to H2O + CO2 mixtures

Time-related variation of volatile contents of Western Ghats volcanic formations, Deccan, India

Deccan volcanism in India covered more than 1 million square km and reached a maximum thickness of about 3 km, as presently preserved in the Western Ghats volcanic lava piles. Volcanic activity started at about 66.4 Ma (Jawhar formation) and ended at about 65.5 Ma (Mahabaleshwar unit; Renne et al., 2015). Deccan volcanism straddled the Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary (ca. 66.0 Ma) and possibly contributed to the end-Cretaceous mass extinction event through emission of gases such as SO2, CO2, Cl, F that may have triggered global climate changes. Severe pollution by volcanic gases is supported by the high S and Cl contents (up to 1400 and up to 900 ppm, respectively; Self et al., 2008) measured in a few olivine- and plagioclase-hosted melt inclusions from the Jawhar, Neral, and Thakurvadi Formations (early lava flows, ca. 66.3-66.4 \ub1 0.1 Ma; Renne et al., 2015) and by magmatic S contents (up to 1800 ppm; Callegaro et al., 2014) calculated from S measurements in clinopyroxenes from the Mahabaleshwar unit (ca. 65.5 \ub1 0.1; Schoene et al., 2015). Here, we present new analyses of S, Cl, and F, obtained by ion-probe and synchrotron light micro-fluorescence analyses on clinopyroxenes and plagioclase phenocrysts from ?al? lava flow units of the Western Ghats. The volatile contents of the host magmas have been calculated from recently published clinopyroxene/basalt partition coefficients. These new data will describe the time-related variation of volatile elements hosted and eventually emitted by Deccan lavas and shed light on their environmental impact. References: Callegaro S. et al. (2014). Geology 42, 895-898. Renne P.R. et al. (2015). Science 350, 76-78. Schoene B. et al. (2015). Science 347, 192-184. Self S. et al. (2008). Science 319, 1654-1657

Sr, Nd, Pb and Os Isotope Systematics of CAMP Tholeiites from Eastern North America (ENA): Evidence of a Subduction-enriched Mantle Source

The Central Atlantic Magmatic Province (CAMP) is one of the largest igneous provinces on Earth, with an areal extent exceeding 107 km2. Here we document the geochemical characteristics of CAMP basalts from Triassic-Jurassic basins in northeastern USA and Nova Scotia (Canada). The CAMP rocks occur as lava flows, sills and dykes. All of our analysed samples show chemical characteristics typical of CAMP basalts with low titanium content, which include enrichment in the most incompatible elements and negative Nb anomalies. All the basalts also show enriched Sr-Nd-Pb initial (t = 201 Ma) isotopic compositions (206Pb/204Pbini. = 18·155-18·691, 207Pb/204Pbini. = 15·616-15·668, 208Pb/204Pbini. = 38·160-38·616, 143Nd/144Ndini. = 0·512169-0·512499). On the basis of stratigraphy, rare earth element (REE) chemistry and Sr-Nd-Pb isotope composition, three chemical groups are defined. The Hook Mountain group, with the lowest La/Yb ratios, initial 206Pb/204Pbini. >18·5 and 143Nd/144Ndini. > 0·51238, comprises all the lastest and upper stratigraphic units. The Preakness group, with intermediate La/Yb ratios, 206Pb/204Pbini. > 18·5 and 0·51233 > 143Nd/144Ndini. > 0·51225, comprises the intermediate units. The Orange Mountain group has the highest La/Yb ratios and 143Nd/144Ndini. < 0·51235 and involves all the earliest and stratigraphically lowest units, including the entire North Mountain basalts from Nova Scotia. In this last group, three sub-groups may be distinguished: the Rapidan sill, which has 206Pb/204Pbini. higher than 18·5, the Shelburne sub-group, which has 143Nd/144Ndini. < 0·51225, and the remaining Orange Mt samples. With the exception of one sample, the Eastern North America (ENA) CAMP basalts display initial 187Os/188Os ratios in the range of mantle-derived magmas (<0·15). Simple modelling shows that the composition of the ENA CAMP basalts cannot plausibly be explained solely by crustal contamination of oceanic island basalt (OIB), mid-ocean ridge basalt (MORB) or oceanic plateau basalt (OPB) magmas. Mixing of such magma compositions with sub-continental lithospheric mantle (SCLM)-derived melts followed by crustal contamination, by either assimilation-fractional crystallization (AFC) or assimilation through turbulent ascent (ATA) processes is somewhat more successful. However, this latter scenario does not reproduce the REE and isotopic composition of the ENA CAMP in a fully satisfactory manner. Alternatively, we propose a model in which asthenospheric mantle overlying a subducted slab (i.e. mantle wedge) was enriched during Cambrian to Devonian subduction by sedimentary material, isotopically equivalent to Proterozoic-Lower Paleozoic crustal rocks. Subsequently, after subduction ceased, the isotopic composition of this mantle evolved by radioactive decay for another 170 Myr until the CAMP magmatic event. Varying amounts and compositions of the incorporated sedimentary component coupled with radiogenic ingrowth over time can account for the main geochemical characteristics of the ENA CAMP (enriched incompatible element patterns, negative Nb anomalies, enriched Sr-Nd-Pb isotopic composition) and the differences between the three chemical group

Evidence of multi-phase Cretaceous to Quaternary alkaline magmatism on Tore-Madeira Rise and neighbouring seamounts from 40Ar/39Ar ages.

The Tore-Madeira Rise is a seamount chain located 300 km off the Portugal and Morocco coastsattributed to hotspot activity. U-Pb ages of lavas from the northern and central Tore-Madeira Rise rangebetween 103 and 80.5 Ma whereas 40Ar/39Ar ages from the central and southern Tore-Madeira Rise yield ages ranging from 94.5 to 0.5 Ma. We performed new 40Ar/39Ar measurements to better understand the geodynamic history of the Tore-Madeira Rise. Plagioclase ages from the Bikini Bottom and Torillon seamounts suggest ages of .90 Ma and &gt;60 Ma, respectively. Amphiboles from the Seine seamount yield an age of 24.0 +- 0.8 Ma. Biotites from lavas of the Ashton seamount give ages of 97.4 +- 1.1 Ma and 97.8 +- 1.1 Ma. The geochronological database available on the Tore-Madeira Rise has been filtered on statistical criteria to eliminate unreliable ages. The resulting database reveals three pulses of alkaline magmatism on the Tore-Madeira Rise at 103-80.5 Ma, at c. 68 Ma and between 30 Ma and the present. The magmatism was continuous from 103 Ma until c. 68 Ma and from c. 30 Ma until the present on the Tore-Madeira Rise, the surrounding seamounts and the Portugal coast. We suggest that the space-time distribution of this magmatism results from the interaction between a wide thermal anomaly emitting magmatic pulses and the complex motion of the Iberian plate