Showing papers on "Basalt published in 2008"

Role of recycled oceanic basalt and sediment in generating the Hf–Nd mantle array

Abstract: The isotopic composition of oceanic basalts suggests that they are composed of true recycled oceanic crust and sediments, which are mixed with the depleted mantle. Following its subduction, oceanic crust either contributes to the source of island-arc volcanic rocks or it is recycled into the mantle1. Most2,3, but not all authors4 believe that recycled crust is incorporated into the plume source of oceanic basalts. The hafnium (Hf) and neodymium (Nd) isotopic compositions of basalts from oceanic islands and mid-ocean ridges exhibit a linear relationship—the mantle array—which is thought to result from mixing between material from the depleted mantle and an enriched recycled component. Here, we model the Hf–Nd isotopic composition of oceanic basalts as a mixture of recycled oceanic crust and depleted mantle and find that recycling of basalt alone is not sufficient to reproduce the mantle array. We conclude that oceanic sediments, which have a relatively high 176Hf/177Hf ratio, must also be recycled. Combining oceanic sediments with recycled oceanic basalts and subsequent mixing with depleted mantle peridotite produces Hf and Nd isotopic compositions that coincide with the mantle array. The composition of bulk continental crust requires the existence of a complementary low 176Hf/177Hf reservoir, which we suggest is zircon-rich sediment.

Metasomatized lithosphere and the origin of alkaline lavas.

Abstract: Recycled oceanic crust, with or without sediment, is often invoked as a source component of continental and oceanic alkaline magmas to account for their trace-element and isotopic characteristics Alternatively, these features have been attributed to sources containing veined, metasomatized lithosphere In melting experiments on natural amphibole-rich veins at 15 gigapascals, we found that partial melts of metasomatic veins can reproduce key major- and trace-element features of oceanic and continental alkaline magmas Moreover, experiments with hornblendite plus lherzolite showed that reaction of melts of amphibole-rich veins with surrounding lherzolite can explain observed compositional trends from nephelinites to alkali olivine basalts We conclude that melting of metasomatized lithosphere is a viable alternative to models of alkaline basalt formation by melting of recycled oceanic crust with or without sediment

Petrology of some oceanic island basalts: PRIMELT2.XLS software for primary magma calculation

Abstract: PRIMELT2.XLS software is introduced for calculating primary magma composition and mantle potential temperature (TP) from an observed lava composition. It is an upgrade over a previous version in that it includes garnet peridotite melting and it detects complexities that can lead to overestimates in TP by >100°C. These are variations in source lithology, source volatile content, source oxidation state, and clinopyroxene fractionation. Nevertheless, application of PRIMELT2.XLS to lavas from a wide range of oceanic islands reveals no evidence that volatile-enrichment and source fertility are sufficient to produce them. All are associated with thermal anomalies, and this appears to be a prerequisite for their formation. For the ocean islands considered in this work, TP maxima are typically ~1450–1500°C in the Atlantic and 1500–1600°C in the Pacific, substantially greater than ~1350°C for ambient mantle. Lavas from the Galapagos Islands and Hawaii record in their geochemistry high TP maxima and large ranges in both TP and melt fraction over short horizontal distances, a result that is predicted by the mantle plume model.

Abundance and diversity of microbial life in ocean crust

Abstract: Oceanic lithosphere exposed at the sea floor undergoes seawater– rock alteration reactions involving the oxidation and hydration of glassy basalt. Basalt alteration reactions are theoretically capable ofsupplyingsufficientenergyforchemolithoautotrophicgrowth 1 . Such reactions have been shown to generate microbial biomass in the laboratory 2 , but field-based support for the existence of microbes that are supported by basalt alteration is lacking. Here, using quantitative polymerase chain reaction, in situ hybridization and microscopy, we demonstrate that prokaryotic cell abundances on seafloor-exposed basalts are 3–4 orders of magnitude greater than in overlying deep sea water. Phylogenetic analyses of basaltic lavas from the East Pacific Rise (96 N) and around Hawaii reveal that the basalt-hosted biosphere harbours high bacterial community richness and that community membership is shared between these sites. We hypothesize that alteration reactions fuel chemolithoautotrophic microorganisms, which constitute a trophic base of the basalt habitat, with important implications for deep-sea carbon cycling andchemical exchange between basalt and sea water. We assessed the abundance, species richness and phylogenetic

Volatile Abundances in Basaltic Magmas and Their Degassing Paths Tracked by Melt Inclusions

Abstract: The abundances of CO2, H2O, S and halogens dissolved in basaltic magmas are strongly variable because their solubilities and ability to be fractionated in the vapor phase depend on several parameters such as pressure, temperature, melt composition and redox state. Experimental and analytical studies show that CO2 is much less soluble in silicate melts compared to H2O (e.g., Javoy and Pineau 1991; Dixon et al. 1995). As much as 90% of the initial CO2 dissolved in basaltic melts may be already degassed at crustal depths, whereas H2O remains dissolved because of its higher solubility such that H2O contents of basaltic magmas at crustal depths may reach a few percents. Most subduction-related basaltic magmas are rich in H2O (up to 6–8 wt%; Sisson and Grove 1993; Roggensack et al. 1997; Newman et al. 2000; Pichavant et al. 2002; Grove et al. 2005) compared to mid-ocean ridge basalts (<1 wt%; Sobolev and Chaussidon 1996; Fischer and Marty 2005; Wallace 2005). During magma movement towards the surface, exsolution of major volatile constituents (CO2, H2O) causes gas bubble nucleation, growth, and possible coalescence that exert a strong control on the dynamics of magma ascent and eruption (Anderson 1975; Sparks 1978; Tait et al. 1989). Gas bubbles have the ability to move faster than magma (Sparks 1978), particularly in low viscosity basaltic magmas. Bubble accumulation, coalescence and foam collapse give rise to differential transfer of gas slugs and periodic gas bursting (Strombolian activity; Jaupart and Vergniolle 1988, 1989) or periodic lava fountains (Vergniolle and Jaupart 1990; Philips and Wood 2001) depending on magma physical properties and ascent rate. It is also thought that strombolian and lava …

Ancient, highly heterogeneous mantle beneath Gakkel ridge, Arctic Ocean

Abstract: The Earth's mantle beneath ocean ridges is widely thought to be depleted by previous melt extraction, but well homogenized by convective stirring. This inference of homogeneity has been complicated by the occurrence of portions enriched in incompatible elements. Here we show that some refractory abyssal peridotites from the ultraslow-spreading Gakkel ridge (Arctic Ocean) have very depleted 187Os/188Os ratios with model ages up to 2 billion years, implying the long-term preservation of refractory domains in the asthenospheric mantle rather than their erasure by mantle convection. The refractory domains would not be sampled by mid-ocean-ridge basalts because they contribute little to the genesis of magmas. We thus suggest that the upwelling mantle beneath mid-ocean ridges is highly heterogeneous, which makes it difficult to constrain its composition by mid-ocean-ridge basalts alone. Furthermore, the existence of ancient domains in oceanic mantle suggests that using osmium model ages to constrain the evolution of continental lithosphere should be approached with caution.

SHRIMP Zircon Age and Geochemical Constraints on the Origin of Lower Jurassic Volcanic Rocks from the Yeba Formation, Southern Gangdese, South Tibet

Abstract: We present SHRIMP zircon dating, bulk-rock geochemical, and Sr-Nd-Pb isotopic results for Yeba volcanic rocks and a mafic dike from Southern Gangdese (SG), southern Tibet, in order to constrain their tectonic setting and origin. Yeba volcanic rocks span a continuous compositional range from basalt to dacite, although andesites are minor, and mafic and felsic rocks are volumetrically predominant. New SHRIMP zircon dating for a dacite coupled with previous SHRIMP zircon dating for a mafic dike and fossil constraints for the sedimentary sequence indicate that Yeba volcanic rocks were emplaced in the Early Jurassic (174-190 Ma). Yeba tholeiitic mafic rocks possess compositional diversity and are divided into three groups based on concentrations of MgO, Al2O3, and La. Mafic samples are all characterized by marked negative Nb, Ta, and Ti anomalies and positive ∊Nd(T) values (+ 2.4 to + 4.5). Yeba calc-alkaline felsic rocks are characterized by coherent, concave-upward MREE patterns and negative anomalies in Nb,...

Iron Isotope Fractionation During Magmatic Differentiation in Kilauea Iki Lava Lake

Abstract: Magmatic differentiation helps produce the chemical and petrographic diversity of terrestrial rocks. The extent to which magmatic differentiation fractionates nonradiogenic isotopes is uncertain for some elements. We report analyses of iron isotopes in basalts from Kilauea Iki lava lake, Hawaii. The iron isotopic compositions (56Fe/54Fe) of late-stagemeltveins are 0.2 permil (per thousand) greater than values for olivine cumulates. Olivine phenocrysts are up to 1.2 per thousand lighter than those of whole rocks. These results demonstrate that iron isotopes fractionate during magmatic differentiation at both whole-rock and crystal scales. This characteristic of iron relative to the characteristics of magnesium and lithium, for which no fractionation has been found, may be related to its complex redox chemistry in magmatic systems and makes iron a potential tool for studying planetary differentiation.

Compositions of HIMU, EM1, and EM2 from Global Trends between Radiogenic Isotopes and Major Elements in Ocean Island Basalts

Abstract: Sr and Pb isotopes exhibit global trends with the concentrations of major elements (SiO 2 , TiO 2 , FeO, Al 2 O 3 and K 2 O) and major elements ratios (CaO/Al 2 O 3 and K 2 O/TiO 2 ) in the shield-stage lavas from 18 oceanic hotspots (including Hawaii, Iceland, Galapagos, Cook-Australs, St. Helena, Cape Verde, Cameroon, Canary, Madeira, Comoros, Azores, Samoa, Society, Marquesas, Mascarene, Kerguelen, Pitcairn, and Selvagen). Based on the relationships between major elements and isotopes in ocean island basalts (OIBs), we find that the lavas derived from the mantle end members, HIMU (or high ‘μ’ = 238 U/ 204 Pb), EM1 (enriched mantle 1), EM2 (enriched mantle 2), and DMM (depleted MORB [mid-ocean ridge basalt] mantle) exhibit distinct major element characteristics: When compared to oceanic hotspots globally, the hotspots with a HIMU (radiogenic Pb-isotopes and low 87 Sr/ 86 Sr) component, such as St. Helena and Cook-Australs, exhibit high CaO/Al 2 O 3 , FeO T , and TiO 2 and low SiO 2 and Al 2 O 3 . EM1 (enriched mantle 1; intermediate 87 Sr/ 86 Sr and low 206 Pb/ 204 Pb; sampled by hotspots like Pitcairn and Kerguelen) and EM2 (enriched mantle 2; high 87 Sr/ 86 Sr and intermediate 206 Pb/ 204 Pb; sampled by hotspots like Samoa and Societies) exhibit higher K 2 O concentrations and K 2 O/TiO 2 weight ratios than HIMU lavas. EM1 lavas exhibit the lowest CaO/Al 2 O 3 in the OIB dataset, and this sets EM1 apart from EM2. A plot of CaO/Al 2 O 3 vs K 2 O/TiO 2 perfectly resolves the four mantle end member lavas. Melting processes (pressure, temperature and degree of melting) fail to provide an explanation for the full spectrum of major element concentrations in OIBs. Such processes also fail to explain the correlations between major elements and radiogenic isotopes. Instead, a long, time integrated history of various parent–daughter elements appears to be coupled to major element and/or volatile heterogeneity in the mantle source. End member lava compositions are compared with experimental partial melt compositions to place constraints on the lithological characteristics of the mantle end members.

Melt Inclusions in Basaltic and Related Volcanic Rocks

Abstract: Melt inclusions are small parcels of melt trapped in crystals within magmatic systems, and are analogous to fluid inclusions formed by trapping of hydrothermal and other fluids during mineral growth in fluid-mineral systems (Sorby 1858; Roedder 1979, 1984). After trapping, melt inclusions are potentially isolated from external melt and thus provide a way to investigate melts trapped during magmatic evolution—driven by processes such as crystal-liquid separation, vapor saturation and degassing, magma mixing and assimilation—which can dramatically alter the compositions of the eventual erupted (or intruded) magmatic end products. Melt inclusions are a powerful tool for the study of basaltic magma systems and their mantle source regions, and are widely used to study the origin and evolution of mantle-derived magmas. Melt inclusions have specific uses in the study of volatile elements (see chapters by Metrich and Wallace 2008, Moore 2008, and Blundy and Cashman 2008), but also provide unique information about the range of melt compositions present within basaltic magmatic systems, and how these reflect mantle sources and the processes that occur during melt generation, evolution, transport and eruption. This review outlines techniques used to obtain chemical and other information from melt inclusions, discusses the processes which lead to melt inclusion trapping in phenocryst minerals, examines the possible means by which melt inclusion compositions might be fractionated during trapping or during subsequent re-equilibration with the host mineral or external melt, and discusses some implications of melt inclusion compositions for the nature of basaltic melt generation and transport systems. This review is largely restricted in scope to studies of volcanic rocks of basaltic and related composition. This refers to rocks erupted as lavas or tephra with broadly basaltic compositions: SiO2 ~45–52 wt%, relatively high MgO and FeO, and typically containing one or more of the following minerals …

Stratigraphy, structure and volcanology of the SE Deccan continental flood basalt province: implications for eruptive extent and volumes

Abstract: The Deccan Volcanic Province is one of the world9s largest continental flood basalt provinces, and derives additional importance because its eruptions (64–67 Ma) straddle the Cretaceous–Tertiary boundary. To better assess the environmental impact of Deccan volcanism, and its possible effect upon Cretaceous–Tertiary boundary biota, it is necessary to document the stratigraphy, chronology and volume of the eruptions. New chemostratigraphical data permit mapping of the SE Deccan. These data strengthen the likelihood that the Rajahmundry Traps of eastern India were originally fed by long-distance flows, and are an extension of the Main Deccan Volcanic Province. An east–west cross-section reveals a depression or ‘moat’ around the SE periphery of the Deccan Volcanic Province. This provided a site in which shallow lakes initially formed, and along which later lava eruptions became channelled and confined. Published palaeomagnetic data indicate that the lavas of the SE Deccan were erupted during Chron 29R, coeval with the Cretaceous–Tertiary boundary, and the chemostratigraphic data place the associated lake sediments (i.e. Lameta Group) beneath and within lavas of the Wai Subgroup. Finally, these new map data are combined with previous work to provide a quantitative estimate for the original Deccan Volcanic Province eruptive volume of c . 1.3 × 10 6 km 3 .

Olivine in the Udachnaya-East Kimberlite (Yakutia, Russia): Types, Compositions and Origins

Abstract: Olivine is the principal mineral of kimberlite magmas, and is the main contributor to the ultramafic composition of kimberlite rocks. Olivine is partly or completely altered in common kimberlites, and thus unavailable for studies of origin and evolution of kimberlite magmas. The masking effects of alteration, common in kimberlites worldwide, are overcome in this study of exceptionally fresh diamondiferous kimberlites of the Udachnaya-East pipe from the Daldyn-Alakit province, Yakutia, northern Siberia. The serpentine-free kimberlites contain large amount of olivine (~ 50 vol%) in a chloride-carbonate groundmass. Olivine is represented by two populations (olivine-I and groundmass olivine-II) differing in morphology, colour and grain size, and trapped mineral and melt inclusions. The large fragmental olivine-I is compositionally variable in terms of major (Fo85-94) and trace element concentrations, including H2O content (10-136 ppm). Multiple sources of olivine-I, such as convecting and lithospheric mantle, are suggested. The groundmass olivine-II is recognised by smaller grain sizes and perfect crystallographic shapes that indicate crystallisation during magma ascent and emplacement. However, a simple crystallisation history for olivine-II is complicated by complex zoning in terms of Fo values and trace element contents. The cores of olivine-II are compositionally similar to olivine-I, which suggests a genetic link between these two types of olivine. Olivine-I and olivine–II have oxygen isotope values (+5.6 ± 0.1 ‰ VSMOW, 1 std. dev.) that are indistinguishable from one another, but higher than values (+5.18 ± 0.28 ‰) in “typical” mantle olivine. These elevated values most likely reflect equilibrium with the Udachnaya carbonate melt at low temperatures and 18O - enriched mantle source. The volumetrically significant rims of olivine-II have constant Fo values (89.0 ± 0.2 mol%), but variable trace element compositions. Uniform Fo compositions of the rims imply absence of fractionation of the melt’s Fe2+/Mg, which can be possible in the carbonatite melt – olivine system. The kimberlite melt is argued to have originated in the mantle as a chloride-carbonate liquid, devoid of “ultramafic” or “basaltic” aluminosilicate components, but became olivine-laden and olivine-saturated by scavenging olivine crystals from the pathway rocks and dissolving them en route to the surface. During emplacement the kimberlite magma changed progressively towards an original alkali-rich chloride-carbonate melt by extensively crystallising groundmass olivine and gravitational separation of solids in the pipe.

Global Correlations of Ocean Ridge Basalt Chemistry with Axial Depth: a New Perspective

Abstract: Niu, Y., O'Hara, M. J. (2008). Global correlations of ocean ridge basalt chemistry with axial depth: A new perspective. Journal of Petrology, 49 (4), 633-664.

Redox conditions on small bodies, the Moon and Mars

Abstract: The current state of knowledge regarding redox conditions of rocks from asteroidal bodies (as represented by various classes of meteorites), the Moon and Mars is discussed here. In the case of the differentiated meteorite parent bodies, the redox conditions range over at least six orders of magnitude (from ~5 log units below the Iron-Wustite buffer to slightly above it) and are determined in large part by the compositions of the undifferentiated precursor materials that accreted to form these parent bodies. Lunar basalts record oxygen fugacities ranging from close to the Iron-Wustite (IW) buffer to ~2 log units below it. The current best estimate of the oxygen fugacity of the lunar mantle is ~1 log unit below IW. Martian crustal rocks represented by the Shergottite-Nakhlite-Chassignite group of meteorites record a wide range of oxygen fugacities. The basaltic shergottites range from slightly below the IW buffer to ~2 log units above it, whereas the cumulate nakhlites (and chassignites) are relatively oxidized (~3–4 log units above the IW buffer). Following early metal-silicate and crust-mantle differentiation on Mars, the depleted martian mantle is likely to have been reduced (close to the IW buffer or slightly lower). Metasomatism and secondary (hydrous) alteration are likely to have produced silicate reservoirs on Mars that are relatively more oxidized (most likely ≥3 log units above the IW buffer). The redox conditions on the other terrestrial planets (Mercury and Venus) are not well constrained. Based on the limited information from remote spacecraft and telescopic observations of surface rocks on these planets, it is inferred that silicate reservoirs on Mercury are highly reduced; those on Venus are likely to be somewhat more oxidized than on Mercury, possibly similar to the lower mantle of Earth.

Oxidation state of iron in komatiitic melt inclusions indicates hot Archaean mantle

Abstract: The origin of komatiites, volcanic rocks formed by unusually extensive melting of mantle rocks, mainly during the Archaean, is the subject of much debate. They are thought to have been produced either by anhydrous melting of anomalously hot mantle, or by hydrous melting at temperatures only a little higher than those of today. Berry et al. have now determined the oxidation state of iron in pristine samples of a 2.7 billion-year-old komatiitic magma from Belingwe, Zimbabwe. Their findings are consistent with near-anhydrous melting of a source with an oxidation state similar to that of present-day ocean-floor basalt. The results suggest that the Belingwe melt was a product of high mantle temperatures of about 1,700 °C, rather than melting under hydrous conditions, confirming the existence of anomalously hot mantle in the Archaean. The original iron isotope ratios of a 2.7 billion-year-old komatiitic magma from Belingwe, Zimbabwe have been determined. These measurements are consistent with near-anhydrous melting of a source with similar oxidation state to that of present-day ocean-floor basalt. The results support the identification of the Belingwe komatiite as a product of high mantle temperatures of ∼ 1,700 °C, rather than melting under hydrous conditions, confirming the existence of anomalously hot mantle in the Archean. Komatiites are volcanic rocks mainly of Archaean age that formed by unusually high degrees of melting of mantle peridotite. Their origin is controversial and has been attributed to either anhydrous melting of anomalously hot mantle1,2,3 or hydrous melting at temperatures only modestly greater than those found today4,5. Here we determine the original Fe3+/ΣFe ratio of 2.7-Gyr-old komatiitic magma from Belingwe, Zimbabwe6, preserved as melt inclusions in olivine, to be 0.10 ± 0.02, using iron K-edge X-ray absorption near-edge structure spectroscopy. This value is consistent with near-anhydrous melting of a source with a similar oxidation state to the source of present-day mid-ocean-ridge basalt. Furthermore, this low Fe3+/ΣFe value, together with a water content of only 0.2–0.3 wt% (ref. 7), excludes the possibility that the trapped melt contained significantly more water that was subsequently lost from the inclusions by reduction to H2 and diffusion. Loss of only 1.5 wt% water by this mechanism would have resulted in complete oxidation of iron (that is, the Fe3+/ΣFe ratio would be ∼1). There is also no petrographic evidence for the loss of molecular water. Our results support the identification of the Belingwe komatiite as a product of high mantle temperatures (∼1,700 °C), rather than melting under hydrous conditions (3–5-wt% water), confirming the existence of anomalously hot mantle in the Archaean era.

Iron mineralogy and aqueous alteration from Husband Hill through Home Plate at Gusev Crater, Mars: Results from the Mössbauer instrument on the Spirit Mars Exploration Rover

Abstract: [1] Spirit's Mossbauer (MB) instrument determined the Fe mineralogy and oxidation state of 71 rocks and 43 soils during its exploration of the Gusev plains and the Columbia Hills (West Spur, Husband Hill, Haskin Ridge, northern Inner Basin, and Home Plate) on Mars. The plains are predominantly float rocks and soil derived from olivine basalts. Outcrops at West Spur and on Husband Hill have experienced pervasive aqueous alteration as indicated by the presence of goethite. Olivine-rich outcrops in a possible mafic/ultramafic horizon are present on Haskin Ridge. Relatively unaltered basalt and olivine basalt float rocks occur at isolated locations throughout the Columbia Hills. Basalt and olivine basalt outcrops are found at and near Home Plate, a putative hydrovolcanic structure. At least three pyroxene compositions are indicated by MB data. MB spectra of outcrops Barnhill and Torquas resemble palagonitic material and thus possible supergene aqueous alteration. Deposits of Fe3+-sulfate soil, located at Paso Robles, Arad, and Tyrone, are likely products of acid sulfate fumarolic and/or hydrothermal activity, possibly in connection with Home Plate volcanism. Hematite-rich outcrops between Home Plate and Tyrone (e.g., Montalva) may also be products of this aqueous activity. Low water-to-rock ratios (isochemical alteration) are implied during palagonite, goethite, and hematite formation because bulk chemical compositions are basaltic (SO3-free basis). High water-to-rock ratios (leaching) under acid sulfate conditions are implied for the high-SiO2 rock and soil in Eastern Valley and the float rock FuzzySmith, which has possible pyrite/marcasite as a hydrothermal alteration product.

Origin and Evolution of Silicic Magmatism at Yellowstone Based on Ion Microprobe Analysis of Isotopically Zoned Zircons

Abstract: The origin of large-volume Yellowstone ignimbrites and smallervolume intra-caldera lavas requires shallow remelting of enormous volumes of variably O-depleted volcanic and sub-volcanic rocks altered by hydrothermal activity. Zircons provide probes of these processes as they preserve older ages and inherited dO values.This study presents a high-resolution, oxygen isotope examination of volcanism at Yellowstone using ion microprobe analysis with an average precision of 0 2o and a 10 mm spot size.We report 357 analyses of cores and rims of zircons, and isotope profiles of 142 single zircons in 11 units that represent majorYellowstone ignimbrites, and post-caldera lavas. Many zircons from these samples were previously dated in the same spots by sensitive high-resolution ion microprobe (SHRIMP), and all zircons were analyzed for oxygen isotope ratios in bulk as a function of grain size by laser fluorination. We additionally report oxygen isotope analyses of quartz crystals in three units.The results of this work provide the following new observations. (1) Most zircons from post-caldera low-dO lavas are zoned, with higher dO values and highly variable U^Pb ages in the cores that suggest inheritance from pre-caldera rocks exposed on the surface. (2) Many of the higher-dO zircon cores in these lavas have U^Pb zircon crystallization ages that postdate caldera formation, but pre-date the eruption age by 10^20 kyr, and represent inheritance of unexposed post-caldera sub-volcanic units that have dO similar to the Lava Creek Tuff. (3) Young and voluminous 0 25^0 1Ma intra-caldera lavas, which represent the latest volcanic activity atYellowstone, contain zircons with both high-dO and lowdO cores surrounded by an intermediate-dO rim. This implies inheritance of a variety of rocks from high-dO pre-caldera and low-dO post-caldera units, followed by residence in a common intermediate-dO melt prior to eruption. (4) Major ignimbrites of Huckleberry Ridge, and to a lesser extent the Lava Creek and Mesa Falls Tuffs, contain zoned zircons with lower-dO zircon cores, suggesting that melting and zircon inheritance from the lowdO hydrothermally altered carapace was an important process during formation of these large magma bodies prior to caldera collapse. (5) The dO zoning in the majority of zircon core^rim interfaces is step-like rather than smoothly inflected, suggesting that processes of solution^reprecipitation were more important than intracrystalline oxygen diffusion. Concave-downward zircon crystal size distributions support dissolution of the smaller crystals and growth of rims on larger crystals.This study suggests that silicic magmatism atYellowstone proceeded via rapid, shallow-level remelting of earlier erupted and hydrothermally alteredYellowstone source rocks and that pulses of basaltic magma provided the heat for melting. Each postcaldera Yellowstone lava represents an independent homogenized magma batch that was generated rapidly by remelting of source rocks of various ages and dO values.The commonly held model of a single, large-volume, super-solidus, mushy-state magma chamber that is periodically reactivated and produces rhyolitic offspring is not supported by our data. Rather, the source rocks for theYellowstone volcanism were cooled below the solidus, hydrothermally altered by heated meteoric waters that caused low dO values, and then remelted in distinct pockets by intrusion of basic magmas. Each packet of new melt inherited zircons that retained older age and dO values.This interpretation may have significance for interpreting seismic data for crustal low-velocity zones in which magma mush and solidified areas experiencing hydrothermal circulation occur side by side. New basalt intrusions into this solidifying batholith are required to form the youngest volcanic rocks that erupted as independent rhyolitic magmas. We also suggest that the Lava Creek Tuff

Contrasting origins of Cenozoic silicic volcanic rocks from the western Cordillera of the United States

Abstract: Two fundamentally different types of silicic volcanic rocks formed during the Cenozoic of the western Cordillera of the United States. Large volumes of dacite and rhyolite, mostly ignimbrites, erupted in the Oligocene in what is now the Great Basin and contrast with rhyolites erupted along the Snake River Plain during the Late Cenozoic. The Great Basin dacites and rhyolites are generally calc-alkaline, magnesian, oxidized, wet, cool (<850°C), Sr-and Al-rich, and Fe-poor. These silicic rocks are interpreted to have been derived from mafic parent magmas generated by dehydration of oceanic lithosphere and melting in the mantle wedge above a subduction zone. Plagioclase fractionation was minimized by the high water fugacity and oxide precipitation was enhanced by high oxygen fugacity. This resulted in the formation of Si-, Al-, and Sr-rich differentiates with low Fe/Mg ratios, relatively low temperatures, and declining densities. Magma mixing, large proportions of crustal assimilation, and polybaric crystal fractionation were all important processes in gener- ating this Oligocene suite. In contrast, most of the rhyolites of the Snake River Plain are alkaline to calc-alkaline, ferroan, reduced, dry, hot (830-1,050°C), Sr-and Al-poor, and Nb-and Fe-rich. They are part of a distinctly bimodal sequence with tholeiitic basalt. These characteristics were largely imposed by their derivation from parental basalt (with low f H2O and low fO2) which formed by partial melting in or above a mantle plume. The differences in intensive parameters caused early precipitation of plagioclase and retarded crystallization of Fe-Ti oxides. Fractionation led to higher density magmas and mid-crustal entrapment. Renewed intrusion of mafic magma caused partial melting of the intrusive complex. Varying degrees of partial melting, fractionation, and minor assimilation of older crust led to the array of rhyolite compositions. Only very small volumes of distinctive rhyolite were derived by fractional crystallization of Fe-rich intermediate magmas like those of the Craters of the Moon-Cedar Butte trend.

Sulfur and chlorine in late Cretaceous Deccan magmas and eruptive gas release.

Abstract: Large-volume pāhoehoe lava flows erupted 67 to 65 million years ago, forming the Deccan Traps, India. The impact of these flood basalt eruptions on the global atmosphere and the coeval end-Cretaceous mass extinction has been uncertain. To assess the potential gas release from this volcanism, we measured sulfur and chlorine concentrations in rare glass inclusions inside crystals and on glassy selvages preserved within lavas. Concentrations range from ∼1400 parts per million of S and 900 parts per million of Cl in inclusions down to a few hundred parts per million in the lava. These data indicate that eruptions of Deccan lavas could have released at most 0.103 weight % of S, yielding up to 5.4 teragrams of SO2 per cubic kilometer of lava. A more conservative estimate is 0.07 weight % of S and 0.04 weight % of Cl, yielding 3.5 teragrams of SO2 and 1 teragram of HCl for every cubic kilometer of lava erupted. The flows were very large in volume, and these results imply that huge amounts of S and Cl gases were released. The environmental impact from even individual eruptions during past flood basalt activity was probably severe.