Earth and Planetary Science Letters 199 (2002) 269^285

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Osmium isotope constraints on lower crustal recycling and

pluton preservation at Lassen Volcanic Center, CA
Garret L. Hart a; , Clark M. Johnson a , Steven B. Shirey b ,
Michael A. Clynne c
a
Department of Geology and Geophysics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
b
Department of Terrestrial Magnetism, Carnegie Institution of Washington, 5241 Broad Branch Road, N.W.,
Washington, DC 20015, USA
c
U.S. Geological Survey, 345 Middle¢eld Road MS910, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA
Received 12 July 2001; received in revised form 22 February 2002; accepted 28 February 2002

Abstract

Osmium isotope compositions of intermediate- to silicic-composition calc-alkaline volcanic rocks from the Lassen
volcanic region of the Cascade arc are significantly more radiogenic (QOs = +23 to +224) than typical mantle. These
evolved arc rocks in the Lassen region have unradiogenic Sr, Nd, and Pb isotope compositions which overlap with
those of contemporaneous mafic lavas. Crystal fractionation of mafic- to intermediate-composition magmas produces
Re/Os ratios that are high enough to evolve to very radiogenic Os isotope compositions in only a few million years,
providing a potential fingerprint for detecting the involvement of such young, relatively mafic crust in magmatic
systems. However, the Sr, Nd, and Pb isotope compositions will remain constant over such short time intervals due to
relatively low parent/daughter enrichment during magmatic evolution. The radiogenic Os isotope compositions in
typically evolved Lassen rocks are interpreted to reflect significant interaction with lower crustal material that has
radiogenic Os isotope compositions. Beneath this section of the Cascade arc, large amounts of such high-QOs lower
crust may have formed and been isolated from MASH zone mixing and homogenization processes during the Pliocene
or Late Miocene. The results from this study indicate that Os isotopes may provide a unique glimpse into lower
crustal processes, such as recycling, in primitive orogenic arcs. 9 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Keywords: osmium; rhenium; felsic composition; subduction zones; crust

1. Introduction orogenic arcs is generally thought to be one of

Magmatic and tectonic accretion of juvenile
* Corresponding author. Tel.: +1-608-262-8960;
Fax: +1-608-262-0693.
E-mail addresses: glhart@geology.wisc.edu (G.L. Hart),
clarkj@geology.wisc.edu (C.M. Johnson), shirey@dtm.ciw.edu
(S.B. Shirey), mclynne@usgs.gov (M.A. Clynne).
the primary means by which the continental
mass has grown [1^3]. The fact that juvenile arcs
are more ma¢c than estimates for bulk continen-
tal crust [4,5] suggests that such arcs represent the
starting point for magmatic addition and intra-
crustal di¡erentiation which eventually produce
the compositionally evolved cratons that accreted
to continental cores and may even have produced
the cores themselves. Oxygen, Sr, Nd, and Pb

0012-821X / 02 / $ ^ see front matter 9 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
PII: S 0 0 1 2 - 8 2 1 X ( 0 2 ) 0 0 5 6 4 - 2

EPSL 6191 21-5-02

270 G.L. Hart et al. / Earth and Planetary Science Letters 199 (2002) 269^285

isotopes have been used to identify the many

sources involved in the production of orogenic
rocks where the isotopic contrast between mantle
and crust is large [6^11]. However, in young oro-
genic arcs where the O, Sr, Nd, and Pb isotope
contrast between mantle and crust is small, it is
di⁄cult to study processes of assimilation, melt-
ing, mixing, and compositional strati¢cation in
the arc crustal column.
Alternatively, the Os isotope system, when
combined with other isotopic and elemental evi-
dence, has great potential for tracing intra-crustal
processes in orogenic crustal sections because of
the stark Os isotope contrast that can exist be-
tween mantle and crustal components. Osmium
isotope contrasts between components develop
because of the extreme parent/daughter fractiona-
tions (Re/Os) produced during crystallization of
ma¢c magmas [12^15]. These extreme parent/
daughter ratios may allow signi¢cant radiogenic
Os to be generated in primitive ma¢c crust in only
a few million years. The goal of this work is to Fig. 1. Generalized map (modi¢ed from [17,18]) of the Cas-
assess intra-crustal processes by evaluating poten- cade Range showing the distribution of the major Cascade
tial sources of radiogenic Os in intermediate- to volcanoes (triangles) including Lassen Peak, located in Las-
sen Volcanic National Park in northern California. Shading
silicic-composition lavas from the Lassen region denotes major areas of Cenozoic igneous rock. LVC rests on
of the southern Cascade arc and by focusing on Pliocene^Quaternary volcanic units which overlie Sierran^
the role of the lower crust. This study focuses on Klamath plutonic^metamorphic basement units.
silicic rocks because of their potential for crustal
interaction and because of a general lack of silicic
Os isotope data. Osmium isotope analyses of pass (250^200 ka), Eagle Peak (75^0 ka), and
primitive basalts [16] provide a useful baseline Twin Lakes (300^0 ka) sequences. Estimated vol-
with which to discuss the evolved rocks in this umes of erupted magma at LVC include V80
study. km3 of largely stage I and II andesites of Brokeo¡
Volcano and V50 km3 of stage III andesites and
dacites. LVC is surrounded and/or underlain by
2. Lassen Volcanic Center (LVC) ¢ve clearly identi¢ed Pleistocene and Pliocene vol-
canic centers including the Maidu Volcanic Cen-
2.1. Geologic summary ter (V2^0.8 Ma) (unpublished data, M.A.
Clynne).
LVC lies at the southern end of the active Cas-
cade arc (Fig. 1) and is built on older volcanic 2.2. Previous geochemical studies
centers and regional lavas that erupted from mono-
genetic volcanoes [19]. The calc-alkaline volcan- Strontium and Nd isotope compositions of the
ism at LVC includes three stages, where stage I LVC silicic lavas match trends observed in other
(600^470 ka) and stage II (470^400 ka) represent Cascade volcanoes (Fig. 2). The isotopic compo-
the cone-building sequences of Brokeo¡ Volcano, sitions of Cascade rocks in general and Lassen
and stage III represents the most evolved volcanic rocks in particular are among the most mantle-
episode, and includes the Loomis (400 ka), Bum- like of continental arcs, overlapping those of

EPSL 6191 21-5-02

 G.L. Hart et al. / Earth and Planetary Science Letters 199 (2002) 269^285
Fig. 2. Sr^Nd isotope variations for Quaternary Cascade vol-
canic rocks, Juan de Fuca^Gorda MORB, and Marianas
and Tonga arcs. The isotopic compositions of the Cascade
rocks are among the most sub-arc mantle-like of any conti-
nental arc and overlap those of the Marianas and Tonga
arcs (dashed line; data from [20^22]), and nearly overlap the
Sr isotope compositions of Juan de Fuca and Gorda Ridge
mid-ocean ridge basalts (JDF-G MORB; [23,24]). Data for
Cascade volcanoes from [25,26]. Volcanic rocks from the
Lassen region span the average range of analyzed Cascade
volcanic rocks, and extend to slightly higher 87 Sr/86 Sr ratios.
The range in Sr^Nd isotope compositions for the Cascade
rocks is primarily interpreted to re£ect mixing between slab-
dominated (slab box) and mantle-dominated (non-slab box)
components rather than crustal interaction [27].
primitive oceanic arcs such as the Marianas and
Tonga arcs (references cited in Fig. 2). Based on
detailed study of the most primitive Lassen lavas
available, Borg et al. [27] call for a heterogeneous
mantle source that has both mid-ocean ridge ba-
salt (MORB) and ocean island basalt (OIB) a⁄n-
ities, coupled with material derived from the slab,
as major components in the regional ma¢c lavas
in the Lassen region. Borg et al. [27] and Borg
and Clynne [28] interpret lavas with high-[Sr/P]N
ratios (N refers to normalization to values of
primitive mantle de¢ned by Sun and McDonough
[29]) to have more ‘arc-like’ trace element compo-
sitions that re£ect a slab-derived component, and
lavas with low-[Sr/P]N ratios to contain a smaller
slab component and have more ‘OIB-like’ trace
element and isotopic compositions. In the Lassen
region, [Sr/P]N ratios decrease from west to east,
with the lowest ratios occurring at the arc axis.
EPSL 6191 21-5-02
271
This pattern is interpreted to re£ect the decreasing
in£uence of slab-derived material toward the arc
axis, such that little slab in£uence is thought to be
present in the predominantly low-[Sr/P]N basaltic
mantle input of the current arc axis [27]. In addi-
tion, the mantle wedge is interpreted to become
progressively depleted (i.e. more ‘MORB-like’
with lower K2 O contents) from east to west as a
result of arc melt extraction [30]. The range in
chemical, and Sr, Nd, and Pb isotope composi-
tions of primitive ma¢c lavas in the Lassen region
are therefore thought to re£ect mixing between
mantle source and slab components rather than
crustal contamination [27,31].
Osmium isotope compositions of primitive ba-
salts (MgO v 8 wt%) from the Lassen region are
interpreted by Borg et al. [16] to re£ect mixing
between a slab-dominated source (high-QOs and
high-[Sr/P]N ) and a mantle-dominated source
(low-QOs and low-[Sr/P]N ) (QOs = ((187 Os/
188 187 188
Osmeasured )/ ( Os/ Osmantle )31)U100), consis-
tent with earlier interpretations based on Sr iso-
tope compositions. The QOs values of the high-QOs
(and high-[Sr/P]N ) basalts are much higher than
those previously estimated for sub-arc mantle
based on analyses of xenoliths from a backarc
setting [32], but are within the range of those mea-
sured for other arc lavas [33]. The high-QOs basalts
also contain the lowest whole-rock Os contents,
suggesting that if these basalts re£ect a slab-dom-
inated source, such a source may also have low
Os contents. As noted by Borg et al. [16], it seems
unlikely that the high-QOs basalts, which have low
Os contents, re£ect extensive crystallization be-
cause all Lassen region basalts have similar Re
contents. An alternative to the slab-material inter-
pretation is that the high-QOs basaltic lavas in the
Lassen region have been contaminated by radio-
genic (high-QOs ) crust [16,34], although the uni-
formity of the Re contents suggests that such con-
tamination could not have been accompanied by
extensive fractional crystallization, which seems
unlikely.
The silicic magmas at LVC were erupted in the
main axis of the volcanic arc, where the slab con-
tribution of radiogenic Os is thought to be mini-
mal [16,27]. The origin of the evolved rocks may
re£ect signi¢cant partial melting of the crust, and
272 G.L. Hart et al. / Earth and Planetary Science Letters 199 (2002) 269^285
Borg and Clynne [28] have interpreted trace ele-
ment contents to be consistent with V10^20%
melting of ma¢c lower crust. However, because
the Sr, Nd, and Pb isotope compositions of the
silicic Lassen rocks overlap those of the ma¢c
lavas [25,28], these isotopic systems cannot pro-
vide a robust test of the trace element models of
crustal melting and assimilation.
3. Sample preparation and analytical methods
3.1. Sample preparation
Whole-rock Re and Os isotope analyses of sili-
cic volcanic rocks are very di⁄cult because Re
and Os concentrations are much less than analyt-
ical blank levels (unpublished data; G.L. Hart,
C.M. Johnson, S.B. Shirey, W. Hildreth). How-
ever, because Fe^Ti oxides are thought to host the
majority of Re and Os in evolved rocks [35,36],
Re^Os analyses of silicic rocks may be obtained
through analysis of the magnetite (Fe^Ti oxide)
concentrates, which e¡ectively concentrates and
raises the Re and Os abundances to measurable
levels. If we assume that virtually all the Os in the
rocks of this study lies in magnetite, and that
magnetite comprises 1% of the rock, then 50 ppt
Os contents in the magnetite imply whole-rock Os
abundances of V0.5 ppt. Analyses of magnetite
separates thus allows Os isotope data to be ob-
tained on low abundance samples that would be
impossible otherwise by achieving a V100-fold
Os pre-concentration. In the Ferrar province,
Brauns et al. [37] show that 187 Re/188 Os ratios
from magnetite-rich separates from basalts are
similar to whole-rock ratios, suggesting that Os
isotope analyses on magnetite separates are repre-
sentative of whole-rocks. This assumption may be
applied to the evolved rocks in this study, espe-
cially since they are young and relatively little
radiogenic decay has occurred, and whole-rock
silicic rocks have very low Os contents.
Fe^Ti oxide concentrates were obtained from
ten silicic volcanic rocks from the Lassen region
(see appendix, Background Data Set1 ). These sili-
cic rocks have V1% Fe^Ti oxides [28], a portion
of which may come from disaggregated ma¢c in-
EPSL 6191 21-5-02
clusions which might impart heterogeneous Os
contents and isotope compositions to the samples
due, in part, to Cr^Ti zoning in the magnetites
[30]. For this reason, ma¢c inclusions were pur-
posely avoided during the sampling and crushing
process to minimize the amount of xenocrystic
material, which has been shown to produce less
scatter in the major and trace element data sets
[18,39]. However, disaggregation and incorpora-
tion of xenocrystic material into magma bodies
are part of the intra-crustal processes that Os iso-
topes are ideally suited to identify, particularly if
the xenocrystic material has radiogenic Os isotope
compositions (as discussed below).
Approximately 15^20 kg of rock sample was
crushed using a tungsten carbide (W-C) hydraulic
rock breaker to avoid iron contamination.
Although tungsten is a potential contaminant
for Re^Os isotope studies, any W-C fragments
would not be present in the magnetic fractions
used in this study. Potential iron contamination
from hammer marks was removed by cleaving
fresh surfaces using the W-C rock breaker. These
steps are essential because metal rock-processing
equipment has V1000 times the Os content of
magnetite concentrates from crustal rocks (Table
1). Minerals were initially separated using density
variations (shaker style ‘gold-table’), followed by
several magnetic separations in a water slurry.
Sample purity is visually estimated at 70^90%;
the impurities, which are mainly silicate minerals
and glass adhering to the oxide grains, are antici-
pated to contain sub-blank concentrations of Re
and Os, and therefore only dilute the Re and Os
concentrations.
3.2. Analytical methods
Re^Os isotope analyses were done at the De-
partment of Terrestrial Magnetism, Carnegie In-
stitution of Washington (DTM). All samples were
spiked with separate 190 Os- and 185 Re-enriched
solutions. Fe^Ti oxides (1^2 g of granular ali-
quots) were digested using a modi¢ed two-stage
Carius tube technique, which provides complete
1
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 Table 1
Chemical and isotopic data for LVC, associated older centers, and older crustal rocks
87
Sample Sequence Sequence/ Sr/86 Sr ONd 206
Pb/ 207
Pb/ 208
Pb/ Re Os 187
Re/ 187
Os/ 2SE 187
Os/ Blank corr. QOs
204 204 204 188 188 188
age volcanic Pb Pb Pb Os Os meas. Os error

G.L. Hart et al. / Earth and Planetary Science Letters 199 (2002) 269^285
center meas. corr.
(ka) (ppt) (ppt) (%) (%)
LC84-443 100^0 Eagle Peak 0.70410 3.80 18.949 15.605 38.587 274 40.8 32.75 0.2213 0.09 0.2233 +0.97/30.45 75
LC83-360 100^0 Eagle Peak 0.70390 3.57 18.951 15.612 38.616 190 20.7 44.75 0.2357 0.31 0.2410 +2.65/31.14 89
LC81-706 250^200 Bumpass 0.70396 3.32 18.977 15.624 38.668 326 22.8 71.27 0.3715 0.30 0.3886 +5.29/32.31 205
LC84-541 250^200 Bumpass 0.70412 3.32 18.943 15.606 38.589 386 8.9 218.3 0.3621 0.40 0.4040 +16.6/35.73 217
LC81-659 400? Loomis? 0.70402 3.53 18.946 15.604 38.591 253 30.2 41.80 0.3979 0.30 0.4127 +4.10/31.85 224
LM80-899 400 Loomis 0.70402 3.26 18.947 15.604 38.591 343 7.9 217.8 0.3381 0.42 0.3764 +16.7/35.64 195
LC82-194 470^400 BV 0.70420 3.20 18.595 15.611 38.621 270 51.0 25.89 0.2197 0.47 0.2212 +0.73/30.35 73
EPSL 6191 21-5-02

LM80-824 600^470 BV 0.70418 2.56 18.954 15.626 38.657 619 169 17.88 0.2032 0.09 0.2034 +0.13/30.07 59
LM80-854 600^470 BV 0.70370 3.96 18.874 15.595 38.498 1 390 124 54.14 0.1578 0.20 0.1574 +0.12/30.23 23
LC88-1392 V1200 MVC 0.70418 2.22 18.990 15.613 38.645 789 64.8 59.07 0.1755 0.17 0.1753 +0.05/30.09 37
BR-1 130 Ma SN 3 27.5 0.50 0.3249 154
BR-1 OL 130 Ma SN 12.1 0.5765 350
Z-11 85 Ma SN 7 3.7 9.44 2.368 1 750
Z-11 OL 85 Ma SN 2.2 2.021 1 479
MG-5 OL 85 Ma SN 212 3.8 272.4 1.886 1 373
92TF105 OL 85 Ma SN 261 12.7 100.3 0.8477 562
PFP-1 OL 85 Ma SN 89 16.2 26.54 0.9362 631
UW-1 63 900 18 500 16.76 0.2779 117
Sample names, ages, and Sr, Nd, and Pb isotope compositions from [18,28,31,38]. Sample locations and additional chemical data can be found in these references.
Re and Os concentrations and 187 Os/188 Os ratios are from magnetite concentrates (unless noted), and are corrected for chemical procedural blank and for mass
fractionation (192 Os/188 Os = 0.30826). In this study, Os and Re blank values were 6 2 pg and 6 8 pg, respectively, with 187 Os/188 Os = 0.1805 ( W 9). Standard errors
are based on 2c variations of uncorrected data. Blank-corrected errors (in %) are based on variations of corrected 187 Os/188 Os values with 4 pg and 1 pg blank lev-
els, thus allowing for the uncertainty of the blank levels to be assessed. Since the blank is relatively unradiogenic (QOs = 41), QOs values for the rocks of this study
represent minimum values, except where the QOs values are already low. BV = Brokeo¡ Volcano; MVC = Maidu Volcanic Center. SN = Sierra Nevada crustal rocks
provided by R. Kistler and A. Glazner. 187 Os/188 Os ratios for SN rocks are present-day values. All SN magnetite was hand-picked to s 99% purity. Oxalic acid
leach used to remove potential oxide coatings containing Re and Os. UW-1 = metal fragments from jaw crusher at UW-Madison. OL = oxalic leach.

273
274 G.L. Hart et al. / Earth and Planetary Science Letters 199 (2002) 269^285

Fig. 3. Stratigraphic variations for SiO2 (wt%), 87 Sr/86 Sr, ONd , Os content, and QOs variations for LVC and regional ma¢c lavas.
The shaded boxes re£ect the range in values for a given sequence, center, or group. The symbols are samples from this study
chosen to be representative of the sequence, center, or group. Data for regional ma¢c lavas from [16]. Osmium contents and QOs
values are from magnetite concentrates. The increase in QOs from the Brokeo¡ stage to the Loomis and Bumpass sequences is at-
tributed to interaction with a more radiogenic lower ma¢c crust. The strong decrease in QOs values for the Eagle Peak Sequence
may re£ect mixing with high-Os content (low-QOs ) primitive basaltic magmas, which has been previously suggested based on the
presence of forsteritic olivine xenocrysts [18,39].

dissolution of magnetite and spike equilibration
[40]. The two-stage Carius tube technique consists
of an initial acid dissolution stage of V2^3 ml
concentrated HCl at 220‡C for V12^15 h, fol-
lowed by a highly oxidizing stage of mixed
HCl^HNO3 (obtained by adding V5^6 ml con-
centrated HNO3 ) at 220‡C for V12^15 h. On
pure magnetite samples, this two-stage process
produced clear dissolutions of magnetite that oth-
erwise would not have been dissolved using the
single-stage method. Because this technique re-
quires sealing the Carius tubes twice, care must
be taken to ensure enough neck material remains
on the tube for proper seals. Osmium was ex-
tracted using the solvent-extraction method of
Cohen and Waters [41], and a microdistillation
process using concentrated HBr and chromic
acid. Re was separated by anion exchange chro-
matography [40,42].
Isotopic ratios were measured by negative ther-
mal ionization mass spectrometry, where Os was
measured as OsO3 3 and Re as ReO4 . Reproduc-
3
ibility of an in-house DTM Os standard solution
yielded 187 Os/188 Os better than 0.2%. During the
course of this study Os and Re blanks were V2 pg
and V8 pg, respectively ; the blank 187 Os/188 Os =
0.1805 W 9. Osmium concentrations in the samples
reported here are generally 10^50 ppt, and uncer-
tainties in blank corrections are therefore the larg-
est contributions to the total uncertainties in Os
isotope compositions (Table 1). The QOs values
presented here generally represent minimum val-
ues because the blank is relatively unradiogenic.
4. Results
The intermediate- to silicic-composition lavas
from LVC have radiogenic QOs values, ranging
from +23 to +224 (Table 1), signi¢cantly higher
than those of MORB and OIB [14,43]. Samples
within individual eruptive sequences have similar
Os isotope compositions (Fig. 3), indicating both
homogeneity on the sample to sample scale and

EPSL 6191 21-5-02

 G.L. Hart et al. / Earth and Planetary Science Letters 199 (2002) 269^285
that Os analyses on magnetite approximate the
isotopic composition of these young lava £ows.
In situ age corrections on the magnetite concen-
trates are insigni¢cant because the samples are
less than 0.6 Myr old (except LC88-1392) and
the parent/daughter ratios are low (Table 1).
The Re contents of the magnetite concentrates
vary from V190 to 1400 ppt, and the Os contents
range from V8 to 170 ppt, similar to slightly
lower than the Os content (11^370 ppt) of most
ma¢c whole-rocks from the Lassen region [16].
Whole-rock Os contents of evolved rocks are be-
low blank levels (V2 ppt), based on reconnais-
sance work of granitic [36] and silicic rocks (un-
published data; G.L. Hart, C.M. Johnson, S.B.
Shirey, W. Hildreth, R.L. Christiansen).
The Brokeo¡ Volcano and Maidu samples have
lower QOs values (Figs. 3 and 4), similar to those
of regional ma¢c lavas. The Os contents of the
Brokeo¡ Volcano samples decrease and the QOs
values increase with SiO2 . The stage III sequences
(Loomis, Bumpass, and Eagle Peak) shift to more
evolved compositions and re£ect similar degrees
of overall di¡erentiation as shown, for example,
by the similarity of Ba and Th contents [31]. The
Loomis and Bumpass sequences have high-QOs
values, ranging from +195 to +224, whereas the
values of the younger Eagle Peak Sequence drop
signi¢cantly (QOs = +75 to +89), with no apparent
changes in the isotopic compositions of other el-
ements (Figs. 3 and 4). The 87 Sr/86 Sr ratios and
ONd values for all three sequences are similar,
ranging from 0.7037 to 0.7042 and +2.6 to +4.2,
respectively [31].
5. Role of the crust
The radiogenic nature of Os in the silicic Lassen
lavas is similar to that found in other arcs. For
example, QOs values of ma¢c- to silicic-composi-
tion rocks from Java vary from +88 to +2804
[33], which are much higher than values observed
in this study of the southern Cascade arc. Alves et
al. [33] interpret the elevated QOs values from Java
to re£ect a variable subduction-derived contami-
nant. The inferred subduction component in Java
has much higher QOs values than those inferred for
EPSL 6191 21-5-02
275
Fig. 4. QOs vs. 87 Sr/86 Sr for the silicic volcanic rocks from the
Lassen region. Data are from magnetite separates. Sequences
are in stratigraphic order with the youngest at the top. Ba-
salt ¢eld is whole-rock data from [16]. The solid ¢eld repre-
sents the volumetrically dominant parental basalts, like those
from the arc axis, and the dashed ¢eld represents basalts
from more toward the forearc. See Fig. 3 and text for more
discussion.
the Lassen region, where Borg et al. [16] interpret
the subduction component to have QOs values of
V+120. However, because the volumetrically
dominant type of basalt from the arc axis in the
Lassen region has low-QOs values [16], which is
interpreted to re£ect little Os in£uence from sub-
duction-derived material, an explanation other
than a subducted sediment or £uid component is
needed for the high-QOs silicic rocks at LVC. We
propose below that intra-crustal magmatic pro-
cesses that occurred during magma transport
and emplacement within the lower crust exerted
the major control on Os isotope compositions of
the evolved rocks at LVC.
Con¢ning the source of radiogenic Os to the
arc crust in the Lassen region places speci¢c iso-
topic constraints on the nature of the crust in-
volved, and requires involvement of crustal mate-
rial that has high-QOs values but sub-arc mantle-
like Sr, Nd, and Pb isotope compositions. Such
material must be present within the crustal col-
umn below LVC where it may interact with as-
cending and evolving magma bodies through as-
similation and/or crustal melting processes.
Potential components of the crustal column below
LVC include Paleozoic and Mesozoic igneous and
accreted rocks, and both primitive and fractionat-
ed arc basalts that were derived from the mantle
wedge. These components will be discussed below
276 G.L. Hart et al. / Earth and Planetary Science Letters 199 (2002) 269^285

Fig. 5. Results of mixing and fractional crystallization models for LVC. Fields and symbols are as in Fig. 4. Data represent anal-
yses on magnetite concentrates. The modeled basalt has 87 Sr/86 Sr = 0.7038, Sr = 370 ppm, QOs = 10, and Os = 200 ppt. The crustal
components were chosen to represent the possible range of compositions present in the Lassen region. Crust 1 has 87 Sr/
86
Sr = 0.7055, Sr = 250 ppm, QOs = 225, and Os = 30 ppt; Crust 2 has 87 Sr/86 Sr = 0.7038, Sr = 250 ppm, QOs = 225, and Os = 30 ppt;
and Crust 3 has 87 Sr/86 Sr = 0.7031, Sr = 250 ppm, QOs = 115, and Os = 30 ppt. Crust 1 represents older Sierra Nevada/Klamath
rocks, Crust 3 represents ma¢c arc basalts (regional basalts), and Crust 2 represents the type of crust that must have interacted
with the evolving magmas. (a) Simple mixing models of a basaltic magma with various crustal components. Hatch marks indicate
percentages of end-member components in the mixture. (b) Assimilation and fractional crystallization models for a basaltic mag-
ma with various crustal components. An R value of 0.5 was used, and DOs = 1 and DSr = 3; various D values were tried, but do
not change the general shape of the curves. The hatch marks indicate the percentage of melt left in the system (‘F’ value).

in terms of their ability to generate the observed
Os, Sr, Nd, and Pb isotope ratios in the evolved
volcanic rocks through processes within the crust.
5.1. High-QOs values in evolved rocks at LVC
The Loomis and Bumpass eruptive sequences
of the LVC have QOs values that are V200 QOs
units higher than those for primitive basalts and
V125^175 QOs units higher than other eruptive
sequences at LVC. Such high values suggest a
high-QOs component to the magmas that has not
been reset to mantle values by disaggregated xeno-
crystic material. Crustal components in the Las-
sen region that may have high-QOs values include
Sierra Nevada and Klamath batholithic rocks,
and the associated Paleozoic and Mesozoic wall-
rocks that underlie LVC [44]. These components
are su⁄ciently old enough that elevated QOs values
are likely to have developed by in situ decay of
187
Re. However, these older crustal components
also have present-day 87 Sr/86 Sr ratios that are sig-
ni¢cantly higher than those of LVC rocks
( s 0.7054 W 7; n = 94, 2c; [7,28,31,45^47]) as
well as low Os contents (Table 1; [36]). Involve-
ment of this high-87 Sr/86 Sr crustal material (‘Crust
1’, Fig. 5), either through mixing or assimilation,
does not produce QOs ^87 Sr/86 Sr variations that
match the LVC data, assuming that the parental
basaltic compositions are equal to those of the
volumetrically dominant type of arc axis basalt
in the Lassen region.
An additional source of high-QOs material can
be found in the primitive basalts that have QOs
values extending to +120 [16]. This potential com-
ponent is unlikely to have contributed to the high-
QOs values of the evolved LVC rocks because the
high-QOs basalts are volumetrically insigni¢cant in
the arc axis and have low Os abundances. More-
over, the 87 Sr/86 Sr ratios of the high-QOs basalts
are far too unradiogenic to have been involved
in the LVC magmas, and no mixing or assimila-
tion models reproduce the observed LVC data
(‘Crust 3’, Fig. 5).
We conclude, therefore, that the high-QOs values
of the evolved volcanic rocks at the LVC cannot
be explained through incorporation of older base-
ment rocks or primitive high-QOs forearc basalts.
The high-QOs values must re£ect an additional
crustal component, such as young fractionated

EPSL 6191 21-5-02

 G.L. Hart et al. / Earth and Planetary Science Letters 199 (2002) 269^285
lower crustal basalts, that had high-QOs values but
87
Sr/86 Sr ratios that were similar to those of the
main arc axis parental basalts. Using such a com-
position, both simple mixing and assimilation/
fractional crystallization processes ¢t the observed
QOs ^87 Sr/86 Sr variations for the LVC data (‘Crust
2’, Fig. 5).
5.2. Shifts in QOs values of evolved LVC volcanic
rocks
The large contrast in Os contents between silicic
lavas and mantle-derived basalts raises the possi-
bility that late-stage, pre-eruptive mixing in mag-
ma chambers may signi¢cantly modify the QOs val-
ues of silicic magmas. For example, the QOs values
of the Eagle Peak Sequence drop V120 QOs units
from the previous two eruptive sequences (Figs. 3
and 4). The large decrease in QOs values could
occur by incorporation/mixing of as little as 2%
ma¢c magmas (Os = 300 ppt; QOs = +10) into
evolved magmas during crustal melting, or during
later stages of magmatic evolution, assuming the
silicic magmas had 1 ppt Os; higher percentages
of 10^20% are allowed if the Os abundance of the
ma¢c magma is decreased. There is therefore no
reason to suspect that the evolved Lassen rocks
that have ‘intermediate’ QOs values (QOs = +30 to
+90) re£ect signi¢cantly less crustal involvement
or interaction with another type of crust than that
involved in the higher-QOs samples. The e¡ects of
mixing even small amounts of high-Os ma¢c com-
ponents into silicic magmas suggest that the mea-
sured QOs values of silicic volcanic rocks may only
provide minimum estimates for the QOs values of
the crustal component. At LVC, late-stage mixing
is consistent with the presence of mantle olivine,
undercooled inclusions, and disaggregated xeno-
liths [18,19,39].
6. A model for Re^Os isotope evolution in the
lower arc crust
The high-QOs values in intermediate- to silicic-
composition rocks from the LVC suggest the
presence of a high-QOs crustal component other
than Paleozoic and Mesozoic crust and forearc
EPSL 6191 21-5-02
277
primitive basalts, and a 5^10 Ma ma¢c lower
crustal material is the most likely candidate for
such a component. The large contrasts in Re
and Os Kd values in ma¢c magmas [48^52] can
produce high Re/Os ratios in even moderately
evolved magmas [12^16,33,53]. These high 187 Re/
188
Os ratios will produce very radiogenic compo-
sitions in only a few Myr solely by radiogenic
decay (Fig. 6). Such radiogenic crust may then
be involved in succeeding magmatic events such
as those that lead to the formation of the evolved
rocks at LVC [13]. We note that because the Re/
Os ratios of the primitive arc basalts are quite low
[16], these rocks cannot produce su⁄ciently radio-
genic Os isotope compositions in time scales of
6 100 Myr.
Lower crustal material is not exposed as out-
crop or xenoliths at LVC but the isotopic compo-
sition of the lower crust can be modeled as it
would have been produced by variably fractionat-
ed mantle-derived magmas emplaced prior to de-
velopment of the LVC. We develop a new math-
ematical model (Fig. 6) that accounts for the Re
and Os concentrations in an evolving crustal col-
umn during magmatic activity. The model pre-
sented here is developed independently of the
data and is intended to illustrate the range of
potential crustal compositions that may become
components or sources of younger magmatism;
the model is not intended to predict or describe
the isotopic nature of ma¢c magmas that have
reached the surface.
The lower arc crust is modeled by ¢ve compo-
sitions (evolved basalt to rhyolite) that represent
crystallization ranges of mantle-derived magma
that may have been emplaced into the crustal col-
umn beneath LVC in the Pliocene or Late Mio-
cene (Fig. 6). Each gradient-shaded ‘box’ repre-
sents the sum of all magmas derived by a given
range of fractional crystallization. Because Re and
Os Kd values di¡er so much, the magmatic com-
positions, total Re and Os contents, and Os iso-
tope composition of each crustal column (‘box’)
cannot be obtained by a simple average, but in-
stead can only be calculated by a mass- and con-
centration-weighted integration of the entire col-
umn (see appendix II in the Background Data Set1
for calculations). Due to a lack of consensus on
278 G.L. Hart et al. / Earth and Planetary Science Letters 199 (2002) 269^285
Fig. 6. A model for predicting the integrated Os contents
and isotope compositions of young arc crust, calculated for
¢ve compositions that re£ect a range of fractional crystalliza-
tion of mantle-derived basalt magma that has a starting com-
position of 187 Re/188 Os = 9.6, ppt Os = 200, wt% SiO2 = 47.5.
Each shaded ‘box’ represents all residual liquids produced
during the range of crystallization indicated (relative size of
boxes to scale). Integrated crustal compositions for these
‘boxes’ are shown in the middle of the ¢gure. Isotopic evolu-
tion of the crustal compositions is shown at the top for 1, 5,
10, and 20 Myr periods. The gray band shows the range of
measured QOs values for evolved rocks at LVC. See text for
discussion.
distribution coe⁄cients and the very low Os con-
tents in the rocks, Re and Os Kd values (Table 2)
are inferred from the excellent correlations be-
tween 187 Re/188 Os ratios and Os contents for ba-
EPSL 6191 21-5-02
saltic (and some evolved) lavas throughout the
world, regardless of their tectonic setting or pet-
rologic a⁄nity, assuming that this range is largely
due to crystallization.
In the center of Fig. 6, the integrated mass- and
concentration-weighted elemental and isotopic
compositions are shown for each crustal ‘box’.
The age dependent QOs values for 1, 5, 10, and
20 Myr of isotopic evolution are plotted at the
top of the ¢gure for each integrated ‘box’. The
gray band illustrates the range of isotopic compo-
sitions that have been measured for silicic lavas
from the Lassen region, which are signi¢cantly
more radiogenic than the mantle (QOs = 0). It is
apparent that large QOs values require at least
some aging of the ma¢c lower crust.
The model is most robust for the range of 0^
60% crystallization, over which the Kd values (Ta-
ble 2) are best constrained as inferred from mea-
sured Re and Os contents in rocks of basalt- to
basaltic-andesite composition [14,53]. The range
of 0^60% crystallization is similar to the range
estimated for the majority of Brokeo¡ Volcano
lavas of LVC [18,19]. The modeled wt% SiO2
and MgO contents for 60% crystallization vary
from 47.5 to 52.6 and 9.4 to 5.7, respectively,
using crystal fractionation models developed for
southern Cascade volcanoes based on phase
assemblages and modal abundances [18,54,55]
(Figs. 6 and 7). Crystal cumulates are not in-
cluded in the evolved (integrated) crustal columns,
because these would be refractory and not likely
to participate in melting or assimilation.
The last four crystallization ranges of the model
(Fig. 6) show changes in 187 Re/188 Os ratios and Os
contents as the magma evolves from basaltic-an-
desite to rhyolite. There is less certainty in extra-
polating the model to these intermediate and silicic
compositions, largely because appropriate bulk D
values are poorly known, causing the model to
become highly parameter dependent, and because
Os isotope analyses were only done on magnetite
separates. With increasing wt% SiO2 the D values
have been adjusted (Table 2) to keep the model
within the range of Os and Re contents measured
for crustal granitic rocks and subduction zone set-
tings [33,36], as well as those suggested by exper-
imental work [52]. For the more evolved inte-
 G.L. Hart et al. / Earth and Planetary Science Letters 199 (2002) 269^285 279

cline in Os contents, are less extreme for the mass-

Fig. 7. Relative mass of magma remaining (F) versus 187 Re/
188
Os (solid lines) and Os content (dashed lines) calculated
using a Rayleigh crystal fractionation model (RF) and an in-
tegrated MCWCF model for basalt. The integrated mass-
and concentration-weighted model line is only shown for the
¢rst 60% crystallization because this is where the model de-
couples the calculations of Os content and isotope composi-
tion from the next range of crystallization. Compared to RF
models, the changes in Os contents and 187 Re/188 Os ratios
are less extreme for MCWCF models, because they continu-
ously re-integrate the mass of the system during magmatic
evolution. The more extreme pure RF models represent the
composition of discrete batches of magma that have evolved
to speci¢c ‘F’ values. The circles represent the integrated
crustal 187 Re/188 Os ratios for the last four crystallization
ranges of the model (Fig. 6) at an averaged ‘F’ value.
grated crustal compositions the Os contents are
less than 1 ppt and the Re contents are s 4000
ppt, which results in very high Re/Os ratios, and
highlights the compatible nature of Os in fraction-
ing mineral assemblages as the main control on
developing such high parent/daughter ratios.
The increase in 187 Re/188 Os ratios, and the de-
and concentration-weighted crystal fractionation
(MCWCF) models as compared to Rayleigh frac-
tionation models (Fig. 7), because the MCWCF
models continuously re-integrate the mass of the
system during magmatic evolution; this method
mimics the crustal section beneath the arc and
would include all crystallized material. In con-
trast, Os depletion and 187 Re/188 Os enrichment
are more extreme for pure Raleigh fractionation
models, which represent the composition of dis-
crete batches of magma that have evolved to spe-
ci¢c ‘F’ values, rather than an integrated compo-
sition over the range of ‘F’. Conceptually, the
integrated crustal model presented here could rep-
resent minimum 187 Os/188 Os ratios that may be
developed in young arc crust, whereas Rayleigh
fractionation likely re£ects maximum expected
187
Os/188 Os ratios.
7. Implications for crustal growth
The potential for high-QOs values to develop in
young ma¢c plutons coupled with unradiogenic Sr
has implications for the nature of the material in
the crustal column, its age, and the interaction of
evolving arc lavas with it. Quaternary magmatism
at LVC may represent signi¢cant additions to the
crustal column, but the radiogenic Os isotope
compositions of the evolved rocks of the Loomis
and Bumpass sequences, as well as simple mass-
balance calculations, suggest that signi¢cantly

Table 2
Parameters for forward AFC modeling of magma reservoirs
Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 3 Stage 4 Stage 5
F (incremental) 1.0^0.4 1.0^0.75 1.0^0.6 1.0^0.72 1.0^0.62
F (total) 1.0^0.4 0.4^0.3 0.3^0.18 0.18^0.13 0.13^0.08
DRe 0.5 0.8 0.85 0.9 0.95
DOs 7 1.5 1.4 1.3 1.2
Re ppt 400 632.5 669.9 723.3 747.2
Os ppt 200 0.82 0.71 0.58 0.52
Partition coe⁄cients are based upon Os concentrations and 187 Re/188 Os data from the Lassen region and Java (see text for refer-
ences), and used in the Rayleigh fractionation model. The stage 1 coe⁄cients are the most robust since they control most of the
fractionation path and are constrained by data. Coe⁄cients for stages 2^5 are allowed to change as needed to keep the fractiona-
tion model reasonable. It should be noted that the stages are decoupled from each other, thus making the Re and Os concentra-
tions valid only for a package of rocks of a given SiO2 content, and are not meant to model the integrated mass^concentration
weighted values of Fig. 6.

EPSL 6191 21-5-02

280 G.L. Hart et al. / Earth and Planetary Science Letters 199 (2002) 269^285

Fig. 8. Schematic west^east cross-section of the crustal section and subduction zone through the LVC. The relative volume of ba-
saltic vs. evolved rocks located in the crustal column is schematically shown at the top of the ¢gure, indicating an increased pro-
portion of evolved compositions at the arc axis, and more ma¢c composition away from the axis. The presence of more evolved
compositions along the arc axis suggests the predominance of fractionated magmas with high Re/Os ratios in the crustal column.
Over time, such crust could develop radiogenic Os isotope compositions that could later be incorporated into ascending magmas
that produced the LVC. See text for further discussion. Modi¢ed from [27].

larger crustal additions may have occurred in the
Pliocene (or Late Miocene). Thus, in the Lassen
region it seems likely that the contribution from
this older pulse of magmatism to overall crustal
growth may be signi¢cant. This conclusion is sup-
ported by Gu¡anti et al. [54] where they predicted
an additional volume of basalt in£ux to the lower
crust was necessary to overcome the heat budget
constraints of their petrologic model. More con-
tinuous magma production models fail to gener-
ate the volume of fractionated magmas needed to
contribute radiogenic Os to later magma pulses.
The architecture of the crustal and mantle sec-
tion beneath the LVC, as discussed and modeled
above, is illustrated in Fig. 8. Sur¢cial exposures
indicate that evolved rocks dominate in the arc
axis, and more ma¢c rocks prevail along the mar-
gins of the arc axis [27]. Based on the location and
volume of the evolved rocks it is inferred that a
large £ux of variably fractionated mantle-derived
magma must have been emplaced into the crustal
column beneath the evolved volcanic centers [54],
forming a zone of extensive mixing and crustal
interaction (cross-hatch pattern in Fig. 8) [8].
This magma would have high Re/Os ratios, low
Os contents, and, in the case of the arc axis mag-
mas in the Lassen region, would contain little Os
in£uence from material derived from the slab.
In summary, provided that subducted compo-
nents and old crust may be eliminated as sources
for high-QOs values in arc magmas, evolved vol-
canic rocks that have high-QOs values suggest that
large volumes of mantle-derived magma must
have been emplaced at an earlier time, and that
this magma must have undergone extensive frac-
tionation within the crust. In a ‘modern’ arc set-
ting, the timing of such an earlier magmatic event
is likely to have been far shorter than that which
would produce measurable isotopic evolution of
Sr, Nd, or Pb.
8. Preservation of high-QOs magmas in a MASH
environment
8.1. Addition of a ma¢c component
Mass-balance calculations suggest that magmas
which have elevated QOs values and low Os con-
tents must become isolated from further interac-

EPSL 6191 21-5-02

 G.L. Hart et al. / Earth and Planetary Science Letters 199 (2002) 269^285 281

tion with more primitive, high-Os, mantle-derived

magmas because even small amounts of mixing
with primitive magmas would strongly shift the
QOs values toward that of the mantle. After
V30^40% crystal fractionation, a mantle-derived
magma with 200 ppt Os might drop to V10^20
ppt Os, based on observed variations in basalts.
The addition of an equal volume of primitive
mantle-derived magma, for example, would pro-
duce a mixed magma that contained s 90% man-
tle Os. It therefore seems likely that for domains
of contrasting Os isotope compositions and low
Os abundances to be preserved within the crustal
column, fractionated low Os magmas and plutons
must be segregated or shielded from any further
mantle in£uence by primitive basalts, or if such
interaction did occur, the evolved lavas place a
minimum constraint on incorporation of older
arc crust.
Fractional crystallization models of evolving
magma bodies indicate that silicic rocks, such as
those found in continental cratons, would have
Fig. 9. Schematic representation of the proposed model for
very high Re and very low Os contents. Yet, the formation and preservation of high-QOs magmas by intra-
Os content data for the evolved rocks at LVC crustal processes. Hachure pattern represents the heteroge-
(especially Eagle Peak and Maidu rocks) have neous pre-Quaternary lower arc crust, which has experienced
Os contents substantially higher than predicted millions of years of magmatism. The gradient-¢lled domains
represent post-Quaternary magma bodies emplaced into the
by models. This may suggest that many evolved
lower arc crust, with the heavy outline denoting the most re-
magmas have interacted with small amounts of cent magmatic events. The gradient-¢ll illustrates the hetero-
less evolved material in the lower crust that had geneity of these domains in terms of QOs values, Re/Os ratios,
higher Os concentrations. The details of such in- and Re and Os contents. These heterogeneities occur due to
teraction would depend on the degree of fraction- variable amounts of melting and mixing of older, isotopically
aged (in terms of Os) lower crust, diagrammatically shown
ation, Os concentration, and age of the material
by the various included material in the most recent magma
involved. bodies. In order for these heterogeneities to persist, the
mixed magma must become physically isolated from further
8.2. MASH zone processes mantle input, either by some physical or chemical barrier,
because any mixing between evolved (low-Os) and ma¢c
(high-Os) components will rapidly move the evolved magma
The wide range in Os isotope variations in
to mantle-like Os contents, Re/Os ratios, and Os isotope
evolved arc rocks, especially as seen at Lassen, compositions. The O, Sr, Nd, and Pb isotope compositions
as well as their generally radiogenic nature, im- of all these plutons and magma bodies, however, would be
plies a di¡erent view on communication between essentially identical because of the homogenizing nature of
primitive basalts, evolved rocks, and crust than the MASH zone processes, the insu⁄cient parent/daughter
ratios to become radiogenic, and the generally young nature
that gleaned using the more common isotopic sys-
of the crust. These isolated domains may become incorpo-
tems such as O, Sr, Nd, and Pb. The ‘MASH’ rated into younger magmatic events, and, perhaps, most
model of arc magma evolution, as originally pro- readily preserved in the evolved rocks at volcanic centers.
posed by Hildreth and Moorbath [8], works well The scale bar for Os contents and QOs values is based on
in explaining isotopic variations and elemental Rayleigh fractionation models (DOs = 0.5, DRe = 7, t = 5 Myr)
and represents maximum values.
abundances for elements where their relative
abundances are not greatly di¡erent from each

EPSL 6191 21-5-02

282 G.L. Hart et al. / Earth and Planetary Science Letters 199 (2002) 269^285
other among the reservoirs involved [56,57]. How-
ever, in the case of Os, the widely variable Os
contents and Re/Os ratios produced during mag-
matic di¡erentiation will result in domains of arc
crust that are extremely variable in terms of ele-
mental abundances and isotopic compositions for
Os, as compared to other isotopic systems. The
variable Os isotope compositions measured in this
study suggest four possible conclusions regarding
MASH zone processes: (1) some batches of mag-
ma and/or plutons are apparently physically iso-
lated from the homogenization processes in the
MASH zone, (2) the MASH zone processes oper-
ate on fractionated (low-Os) magmas only, (3)
MASH zone processes are insu⁄cient to com-
pletely homogenize components that are very het-
erogenous in terms of Os contents, and (4) prim-
itive magmas do not interact readily with evolved
magmas. These scenarios most likely operate si-
multaneously with each other on a larger regional
scale, but independently and separately on smaller
scales. Factors which may contribute to incom-
plete homogenization of various magmas include
thermal, geometric, viscosity, and density barriers
[58^61], which restrict the likelihood of mixing
between, for example, primitive (high-Os) and
evolved (low-Os) magmas.
By Quaternary time at the LVC, it is envisioned
that the lower crust had already experienced mil-
lions of years of magmatism and consisted of an
amalgamation of overlapping plutons that varied
individually in terms of their Os contents and Os
isotope compositions (Fig. 9), and yet were quite
homogenous in terms of their Sr, Nd, and Pb
isotope compositions because of the relatively
young age of the crust and ‘MASH-type’ process-
es. As younger Quaternary-age, mantle-derived
magmas rose through this heterogenous (in terms
of Os) crust (Fig. 9) they evolved to low Os con-
tents and became isolated from further mantle
input by crystallization or sequestered long-lived
magma chambers, preserving individual domains
that, over short periods of time, isotopically
evolve to high-QOs values. The QOs values reported
for the evolved rocks at LVC in this study may be
considered minimum values because of the ex-
ceedingly low potential for preservation of mag-
mas with extremely high QOs values within the
EPSL 6191 21-5-02
MASH zone of the lower crust. Even slight inter-
actions with primitive (high-Os) basalts, which
Borg et al. [16] establish are present at the surface,
would erase the high-QOs crustal signature.
9. Conclusion
Application of high-precision Re^Os isotope
analyses to problems in crustal evolution using
intermediate- to silicic-composition rocks is possi-
ble using Fe^Ti oxides (primarily magnetite),
which appear to be the major repository for Re
and Os and to approximate whole-rock Os iso-
tope compositions in evolved rocks. Osmium iso-
tope compositions for evolved rocks from the
Quaternary LVC are much more radiogenic
than other mantle-derived rocks, indicating in-
volvement of a high-QOs component. The source
of the radiogenic Os must be di¡erent than that
described for other subduction zones (e.g. Java)
and for regional forearc basalts of the Lassen re-
gion, where high-QOs values are attributed to sedi-
ment and slab-£uid contamination. In the Lassen
region, sediment and slab contamination is re-
stricted to the forearc, with little in£uence at the
arc axis, where this study has found radiogenic Os
isotope compositions. The radiogenic Os source is
likely to be young (5^10 Ma) lower crust because
Sr, Nd, and Pb isotope compositions of the silicic
rocks are mantle-like, and overlap those of coeval
basalts, eliminating older (Mesozoic) crust as a
potential contributor. A model for calculating ra-
diogenic Os isotope evolution in young arc crust
is consistent with assimilation of substantial
amounts of earlier ma¢c crust because large con-
trasts in Re and Os partitioning during crystal
fractionation of basaltic magmas produce high
Re/Os ratios after even modest degrees of crystal-
lization. These results suggest that beneath young
arcs, such as in Cascade arc, early magmatic ad-
dition and signi¢cant lower crustal recycling may
occur which is only detected by Os isotopes, and
not isotopic systems such as O, Sr, Nd, and Pb.
The occurrence of radiogenic Os in LVC indicates
a period of earlier (5^10 Ma) magmatism, the
e¡ects of which may be underestimated based
on more traditional isotopic systems, due to lack
 G.L. Hart et al. / Earth and Planetary Science Letters 199 (2002) 269^285
of isotopic resolution. Furthermore, the presence
of radiogenic Os at LVC indicates that portions
of the lower arc crust must be resistant to or iso-
lated from homogenization processes in the
MASH zone and from further input of mantle-
derived magmas, suggesting a magma evolution
model that preserves individual plutons within
the crustal column.
Acknowledgements
We thank L. Borg, C. Hawkesworth, G. Pear-
son, V. Salters, and anonymous reviewers for
comments on earlier versions of this manuscript.
This project has been supported by Grants from
Sigma Xi, GSA, and NSF (EAR-9980512).[AH]
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