A variably veined suboceanic upper mantle—Genetic significance for mid-ocean ridge basalts from geochemical evidence

Research Article| October 01, 1979 A variably veined suboceanic upper mantle—Genetic significance for mid-ocean ridge basalts from geochemical evidence David A. Wood David A. Wood 1Department of Geological Sciences, University of Birmingham, P.O. Box 363, Birmingham B15 2TT, England Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information David A. Wood 1Department of Geological Sciences, University of Birmingham, P.O. Box 363, Birmingham B15 2TT, England Publisher: Geological Society of America First Online: 02 Jun 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2682 Print ISSN: 0091-7613 Geological Society of America Geology (1979) 7 (10): 499–503. https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(1979)7<499:AVVSUM>2.0.CO;2 Article history First Online: 02 Jun 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Permissions Search Site Citation David A. Wood; A variably veined suboceanic upper mantle—Genetic significance for mid-ocean ridge basalts from geochemical evidence. Geology 1979;; 7 (10): 499–503. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(1979)7<499:AVVSUM>2.0.CO;2 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGeology Search Advanced Search Abstract A comparison of the trace-element abundances and radiogenic isotope ratios in oceanic basalts and the primordial mantle suggests that the present suboceanic upper mantle has undergone depletion and, in some places, recent re-enrichment events. The following model is proposed: Incipient partial melts were removed from much of the Archean mantle; this caused a depletion in the hygromagmatophile (incompatible) trace elements. At the same time, higher levels of the mantle were veined with these melts and were thus enriched. Trace-elements and radiogenic isotope data indicate that mantle sources of basalts which erupted at oceanic hot spots have had a complex, multistage evolution from the primordial mantle and consist of more than one component. A mixing process involving the veining of parts of the mantle on a centimetre scale by an undersaturated mafic magma is preferred to the mantle-plume model. Some quantitative mixing models show that the trace-element chemistry of hot-spot mantle sources can be generated by introducing about 5% of an undersaturated mafic magma into a mantle source for a normal mid-ocean ridge. This content is PDF only. Please click on the PDF icon to access. First Page Preview Close Modal You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.