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Mantle Melting as a Function of Water Content beneath the Mariana Arc

Mantle Melting as a Function of Water Content beneath the Mariana Arc Subduction zone magmas are characterized by high concentrations of pre-eruptive H2O, presumably as a result of an H2O flux originating from the dehydrating, subducting slab. The extent of mantle melting increases as a function of increasing water content beneath back-arc basins and is predicted to increase in a similar manner beneath arc volcanoes. Here, we present new data for olivine-hosted, basaltic melt inclusions from the Mariana arc that reveal pre-eruptive H2O contents of 1560wt , which are up to three times higher than concentrations reported for the Mariana Trough back-arc basin. Major element systematics of arc and back-arc basin basalts indicate that the back-arc basin melting regime does not simply mix with wet, arc-derived melts to produce the observed range of back-arc magmatic H2O concentrations. Simple melting models reveal that the trend of increasing extents of melting with increasing H2O concentrations of the mantle source identified in the Mariana Trough generally extends beneath the Mariana volcanic front to higher mantle water contents and higher extents of melting. In detail, however, each Mariana volcano may define a distinct relationship between extent of melting and the H2O content of the mantle source. We develop a revised parameterization of hydrous melting, incorporating terms for variable pressure and mantle fertility, to describe the distinct relationships shown by each arc volcano. This model is used in combination with thermobarometry constraints to show that hydrous melts equilibrate at greater depths (3487km) and temperatures (>1300C) beneath the Mariana arc than beneath the back-arc basin (2137km), although both magma types can form from a mantle of similar potential temperature (1350C). The difference lies in where the melts form and equilibrate. Arc melts are dominated by those that equilibrate within the hot core of the mantle wedge, whereas back-arc melts are dominated by those that equilibrate within the shallow zone of decompression melting beneath the spreading center. Despite higher absolute melting temperatures (>1300C), Mariana arc melts reflect lower melt productivity as a result of wet melting conditions and a more refractory mantle source. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Journal of Petrology Oxford University Press

Mantle Melting as a Function of Water Content beneath the Mariana Arc

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References (116)

Publisher
Oxford University Press
Copyright
The Author 2010. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oxfordjournals.org
ISSN
0022-3530
eISSN
1460-2415
DOI
10.1093/petrology/egq036
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

Subduction zone magmas are characterized by high concentrations of pre-eruptive H2O, presumably as a result of an H2O flux originating from the dehydrating, subducting slab. The extent of mantle melting increases as a function of increasing water content beneath back-arc basins and is predicted to increase in a similar manner beneath arc volcanoes. Here, we present new data for olivine-hosted, basaltic melt inclusions from the Mariana arc that reveal pre-eruptive H2O contents of 1560wt , which are up to three times higher than concentrations reported for the Mariana Trough back-arc basin. Major element systematics of arc and back-arc basin basalts indicate that the back-arc basin melting regime does not simply mix with wet, arc-derived melts to produce the observed range of back-arc magmatic H2O concentrations. Simple melting models reveal that the trend of increasing extents of melting with increasing H2O concentrations of the mantle source identified in the Mariana Trough generally extends beneath the Mariana volcanic front to higher mantle water contents and higher extents of melting. In detail, however, each Mariana volcano may define a distinct relationship between extent of melting and the H2O content of the mantle source. We develop a revised parameterization of hydrous melting, incorporating terms for variable pressure and mantle fertility, to describe the distinct relationships shown by each arc volcano. This model is used in combination with thermobarometry constraints to show that hydrous melts equilibrate at greater depths (3487km) and temperatures (>1300C) beneath the Mariana arc than beneath the back-arc basin (2137km), although both magma types can form from a mantle of similar potential temperature (1350C). The difference lies in where the melts form and equilibrate. Arc melts are dominated by those that equilibrate within the hot core of the mantle wedge, whereas back-arc melts are dominated by those that equilibrate within the shallow zone of decompression melting beneath the spreading center. Despite higher absolute melting temperatures (>1300C), Mariana arc melts reflect lower melt productivity as a result of wet melting conditions and a more refractory mantle source.

Journal

Journal of PetrologyOxford University Press

Published: Aug 3, 2010

Keywords: subduction mantle melting melt inclusions magmatic volatiles

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