Hotspots, basalts, and the evolution of the mantle
Anderson DL. 1981. Hotspots, basalts, and the evolution of the mantle. Science. 213(4503):82-89
Summary. The trace element concentration patterns of continental and ocean island basalts and of mid-ocean ridge basalts are complementary. The relative sizes of the source regions for these fundamentally different basalt types can be estimated from the trace element enrichment-depletion patterns. Their combined volume occupies most of the mantle above the 670 kilometer discontinuity. The source regions separated as a result of early mantle differentiation and crystal fractionation from the resulting melt. The mid-ocean ridge basalts source evolved from an eclogite cumulate that lost its late-stage enriched fluids at various times to the shallower mantle and continental crust. The mid-ocean ridge basalts source is rich in garnet and clinopyroxene, whereas the continental and ocean island basalt source is a garnet peridotite that has experienced secondary enrichment. These relationships are consistent with the evolution of a terrestrial magma ocean.
- Type
- Journal Article
- Authors
- Anderson, D.
- Units
- HAVO
- Keywords
- Geochemistry, Mantle, Ocean Island Volcanism, Petrology, Source