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Andean Cenozoic volcanism: Magma genesis in the light of
strontium isotopic composition and trace-element geochemistry
D A V I D E. JAMES Carnegie Institution of Washington,
C H R I S T O P H E R B R O O K S Université de Montréal, Department
A R T U R O C U Y U B A M B A McGill University, Department
ABSTRACT
The late Cenozoic andesitic-dacitic vol-
canic rocks of southern Peru may be di-
vided g e o g r a p h i c a l l y and geochemically
i n t o t h e Arequipa volcartics and the
Barroso volcanics. A l t h o u g h these rocks
exhibit strong chemical affinities with
calc-alkalic rocks of the island arcs, their
Sr 87 /Sr 86 ratios are significantly higher. T h e
Rb-Sr isotope d a t a for each volcanic associ-
ation define t w o internally consistent and
parallel pseudoisochrons (age ~ 4 0 0 m.y.)
that give "initial r a t i o s " of 0 . 7 0 6 1 and
0 . 7 0 4 4 for the Arequipa and Barroso vol-
canics, respectively.
C o m p a r i s o n of trace-element and Sr-
isotope data of the volcanic products with
that of Precambrian sialic rocks indicates
that the anomalously high Sr 87 /Sr 86 is not
due to upper crustal contamination n o r is a
lower crustal origin likely on the basis of
geophysical arguments. We explain the ob-
served variation of Sr 87 /Sr 86 by means of a
modified continental volcanic-arc subduc-
tion model in which the overlying continen-
tal plate (200 to 3 0 0 km thick) abuts the
downgoing oceanic plate to form a litho-
sphere-lithosphere subduction b o u n d a r y to
depths in excess of those at which m a g m a is
generated. By this model, andesitic m a g m a
e i t h e r is g e n e r a t e d by s u b d u c t i o n - z o n e
melting of the ancient lithosphere of the
South American plate or is derived from the
downgoing oceanic plate but then is isotop-
ically re-equilibrated w i t h t h e overlying
continental lithosphere. Thus, the Arequipa
and Barroso volcanics are the products of
magmas derived from, or isotopically
equilibrated w i t h , d i f f e r e n t p a r t s of the
thick lithosphere of the South American
plate. Different Rb/Sr ratios frozen into dif-
ferent parts of the continental lithosphere
during the course of its formation are the
cause of both the anomalously high Sr 87 /Sr 86
ratios and the regional variations observed.
Key words: plate tectonics, central Andean
volcanism, cordilleran arc, andesite pedo-
genesis, strontium isotopes, trace-element
geochemistry.
Geological Society of America Bulletin, v. 87, p. 5 9 2 - 6 0 0 , 9 figs., April 1976, Doc. no. 60412.
Department of Terrestrial Magnetism, Washington, D.C.
of Geology, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
of Geological Sciences, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
INTRODUCTION
Subduction of the oceanic Nazca plate
b e n e a t h the western edge of the S o u t h
American plate is thought by most propo-
nents of plate theory to have generated the
tectonic forces and magmatic activity that
have structured the Andean orogen. By this
view, the Cenozoic andesitic m a g m a s of the
Andean stratovolcanoes originated within
the oceanic crust of the descending plate or
within the mantle adjacent to that plate.
Accordingly, these Andean volcanic rocks
should exhibit chemical and isotopic com-
p o s i t i o n s similar to t h o s e of i s l a n d - a r c
andesite of like origin. H o w e v e r , while
major- and minor-element analyses reveal
that the late Cenozoic volcanic rocks are
chemically akin to those of the calc-alkalic
suite of circum-Pacific island arcs, they ex-
hibit significantly higher Sr 8 7 /Sr 8 6 ratios.
The purpose of this paper is to examine
these anomalously high isotopic ratios in
the light of trace-element geochemistry and
to develop f r o m this a model for the gen-
esis of the Cenozoic magma.
GEOLOGIC OUTLINE
T h e Cenozoic volcanism of the central
Andes is closely allied to subduction of the
Nazca plate beneath western South
America. J a m e s (1971a) suggested t h a t ,
during this period of magmatic activity, the
Andean crust nearly doubled in thickness.
By this view, the lava flows that are exposed
represent only a small fraction of the total
volume of m a g m a injected into the crust or
plated o n t o the base.
T h e v o l c a n i c r o c k s overlie t h e sialic
crustal complex of the ancient margin of
the South American continent. Gneiss, in-
termediate to granitic in composition, with
Rb-Sr model ages of 700 to 2 , 0 0 0 m.y. (this
paper) may underlie much of the Cenozoic
volcanic cover (Cobbing and Pitcher,
1972). Mesozoic sedimentary and plutonic
rocks are exposed throughout much of the
region of Cenozoic volcanism.
W e summarize here only that geologic in-
592
20015
formation on southern Peru that is perti-
nent to this study. For a more complete ac-
count see James (1971a, with references to
previous papers) and Lefevre (1973); the
geologic m a p (Fig. 1) has been a d a p t e d
from Lefevre (1973).
Volcanism related to subduction along
the western margin of South America has
been episodically continuous since Jurassic
time. There is little evidence of extensive
volcanism in southern Peru between latest
Mesozoic time and Miocene time, although
a few ages within that interval have been
reported (Noble and others, 1974; Stewart
and others, 1974). For the most part the
lava flows and ignimbrites that blanket the
crestal region of the central Andes were
erupted since Miocene time.
For the purposes of discussion, the rock
units are classified as follows: Arequipa
volcanics, c o m p o s e d of Pliocene-Quater-
nary andesite of the stratovolcanoes of the
A r e q u i p a r e g i o n ; Barroso volcanics,
composed of Pliocene-Quaternary andesite
and dacite of southernmost Peru; Sencca
formation, composed of Pliocene-Quater-
nary rhyolitic ignimbrite; and Huaylillas
formation, composed of Miocene-Pliocene
rhyodacitic ignimbrite.
Arequipa Volcanics and
Barroso Volcanics
Pliocene and Q u a t e r n a r y volcanic rocks
blanket a vast region of the high Andes of
southern Peru (Fig. 1). They are the remains
of a massive outpouring of andesite, dacite,
and trachyte, together with an assortment
of m i n o r volcanic assemblages. Peruvian
geologists have, for the purposes of field
mapping, placed most of the volcanic se-
quences within the Barroso G r o u p , a
classification o r i g i n a t e d by W i l s o n a n d
Garcia (1962) for the volcanic rocks of the
Barroso cordillera of southernmost Peru.
The Barroso G r o u p was subdivided by Wil-
son and Garcia, and by others, into three
units: the Chila volcanics, the Barroso vol-
canics, and the Purupurine volcanics (in
o r d e r of d e c r e a s i n g a g e ) . T h e s e u n i t
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ANDEAN CENOZOIC VOLCANISM 593

Figure 1. Geologic sketch map showing principal Cenozoic volcanic formations and sample localities. Patterns indicate (1) Pliocene-Quaternary
volcanic flows, mapped chiefly as belonging to Barroso Group; (2) Pliocene-Quaternary rhyolitic ignimbrites of Sencca formation; (3) Miocene-Pliocene
rhyodacitic ignimbrites of Huaylillas formation;
and (4) nonvolcanic formations. Sample locali- 70° 69°
ties are indicated by closed circles for Barroso
volcanics and by open circles for Arequipa vol-
canics. Very approximate regional distributions
of Arequipa and Barroso units are delimited by
large circles. Asterisks mark sites of andesitic
stratovolcanoes.

AREQUIPA
VOLCANICS

classifications have been applied to the
flows of the A r e q u i p a region as well as to
those of the B a r r o s o cordillera to the south-
east.
T h e catch-all application of the B a r r o s o
G r o u p d e s i g n a t i o n t o e n c o m p a s s a large
p r o p o r t i o n of all the P l i o c e n e - Q u a t e r n a r y
volcanic r o c k s of southern Peru has created
considerable c o n f u s i o n of correlation be-
t w e e n the various volcanic units. Conse-
quently, the friable, light-gray volcanic
rocks of the Barroso Cordillera bear little
resemblance to the h a r d , d a r k - g r a y andesite
and associated volcanic rocks of the Are-
quipa region t h a t are also m a p p e d as Ba-
rroso. O t h e r differences in rock type are
likewise a p p a r e n t between t h e Chila vol-
canics of s o u t h e r n m o s t Peru and the Chila
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594 JAMES AND OTHERS

andesite f r o m the volcanic centers of the TABLE 1.

Arequipa region. Accordingly, we have ANALYTICAL DATA, LATE CENOZOIC VOLCANIC ROCKS OF SOUTHERN PERU
g r o u p e d the P l i o c e n e - Q u a t e r n a r y lava
flows into t w o regional categories: the Are- K ..k„t Sr Rb K/Sr K/Rb Rb/Sr Sr87/Sr86 ' Sr87/Sr86
Sample Si02
q u i p a volcanics (Fig. 1), which include the no."' (%) (%) (ppm) (ppm) (present day) (initial)
andesitic lava of the A r e q u i p a regions, and
the B a r r o s o volcanics (Fig. 1), which en- Arequipa volcanics
c o m p a s s those volcanic sequences in the re- PE23 57.3 2.27 0.39 806 60 28 378 0.075 0.70763 ± 7
gion of s o u t h e r n m o s t Peru. T h e B a r r o s o PE 2 4 58.0 2.08 0.39 699 57 30 365 0.082 0.70794 ± 7
volcanics consist of friable coarse-grained PE 25 58.3 2.22 0.42 657 61 34 364 0.093 0.70762 ± 6
p o r p h y r i t i c volcanic rocks that characterize PE 26 56.7 1.98 0.37 848 46 23 430 0.054 0.70718 ± 11
PE 2 7 56.7 1.86 0.35 848 46 22 404 0.055 0.70714 ± 5
the high c o u n t r y of the B a r r o s o cordillera
PE 28 56.9 1.80 0.34 842 46 21 391 0.055 0.70716 ± 7
a n d w h o s e a p p e a r a n c e clearly distinguishes
PE 2 9 56.8 1.82 0.35 856 47 21 387 0.054 0.70708 ± 7
them f r o m the r o c k s of the Chila, T a c a z a , PE 3 0 56.5 2.02 0.37 849 47 24 423 0.055 0.70723 ± 17
and o t h e r volcanic f o r m a t i o n s of the re- PE 46 58.8 2.57 0.43 804 71 32 362 0.088 0.70765 ± 9
gion. PE 47 59.4 2.31 0.39 785 67 29 345 0.085 0.70757 ± 6
PE 48 58.7 2.36 0.39 816 69 29 342 0.084 0.70749 ± 6
Sencca a n d Huaylillas F o r m a t i o n s PE 4 9 59.0 2.31 0.39 804 69 29 335 0.086 0.70758 ± 4
PE 80 61.2 1.97 0.35 753 50 26 394 0.066 0.70739 ± 6
PE 81 56.7 1.56 0.33 799 39 20 400 0.049 0.70670 ± 6
T h e Sencca ignimbrites (Fig. 1) are gen-
PE 82 60.1 1.88 0.37 763 51 25 369 0.067 0.70730 ± 8
erally considered Pliocene in age a n d c r o p
PE 83 64.0 2.44 0.37 730 63 33 387 0.086 0.70734 ± 4
o u t mostly to the east of the Huaylillas ig-
nimbrites. They are rhyolitic in c o m p o s i - Barroso volcanics
tion a n d a r e distinctly m o r e silicic t h a n PE 128 55.7 1.65 0.37 675 48 24 344 0.071 0.70541 ± 9
those of the Huaylillas f o r m a t i o n . PE 129 60.0 2.24 0.43 614 79 36 284 0.129 0.70644 ± 7
PE 130 57.4 1.68 0.36 653 53 26 317 0.081 0.70565 ± 5
R h y o d a c i t i c ignimbrites of the Huaylillas
PE 131 59.5 2.04 0.40 609 78 33 262 0.128 0.70578 ± 10
f o r m a t i o n are the oldest of the w i d e s p r e a d 0.70641 ± 16
PE 132 59.7 2.21 0.41 579 97 38 228 0.168
C e n o z o i c volcanic rocks (see Fig. 1). They PE 144 58.8 2.42 0.45 590 84 41 288 0.142 0.70637 ± 10
a r e e x p o s e d m o s t l y t o t h e w e s t of t h e PE 145 62.4 2.48 0.42 592 86 42 288 0.145 0.70652 ± 6
younger Pliocene-Quaternary volcanic PE 146 63.6 2.69 0.45 532 96 51 280 0.180 0.70679 ± 11
rocks. T h e age of the Huaylillas f o r m a t i o n
Ignimbrites, Huaylillas formation
is n o t u n a m b i g u o u s . In the region s o u t h e a s t
PE 54 63.6 2.47 307 111 80 223 0.362 0.70630 ± 6 0.70612
. of M o q u e g u a , the ignimbrites of t h e f o r m a - 0.70614
PE 55 71.7 3.00 140 146 214 205 1.040 0.70666 ± 6
tion are intercalated with flows f r o m the 205 236 179 155 1.150 0.70670 ± 5 0.70612
PE 56 68.5 3.66
basal section of the P l i o c e n e - Q u a t e r n a r y PE 121 71.3 3.64 218 130 167 280 0.596 0.70692 ± 7
B a r r o s o f o r m a t i o n . In the vicinity of M o - PE 148 72.0 3.39 238 144 142 235 0.605 0.70685 ± 7
quegua, however, Huaylillas ignimbrites
Ignimbrites, Sencca formation
are intercalated w i t h sediments of the M o -
PE 14 70.6 3.94 249 118 158 334 0.475 0.70867 ± 4
q u e g u a f o r m a t i o n (of s u p p o s e d M i o c e n e 0.634
PE 4 4 73.4 3.63 189 120 192 303 0 . 7 0 8 8 0 ± 11
age). W e have o b t a i n e d a Rb-Sr isochron of
12.5 m.y. for three Huaylillas samples of * Sample localities shown in Figure 1.
t h e M o q u e g u a region, w h i c h suggests a f "k" = K 2 0 / ( K 2 0 + N a 2 0 ) .
m i d d l e M i o c e n e age. T h i s age m u s t be § Initial Sr87/Sr86 ratios are the same as present-day ratios for the Arequipa and Barroso volcanics.
treated w i t h c a u t i o n , h o w e v e r , because sed-
iment c o n t a m i n a t i o n d u r i n g e x t r u s i o n of
the ignimbrite could p r o d u c e mixing-line percent. S t r o n t i u m isotopic m e a s u r e m e n t s Fig. 2) range f r o m 0 . 7 0 6 7 t o 0 . 7 0 7 9 a n d
p s e u d o i s o c h r o n s t h a t could either be t o o w e r e m a d e o n 6-in. a n d 9-in. mass spec- f r o m 0 . 7 0 5 4 t o 0 . 7 0 6 8 , respectively.
old o r t o o y o u n g . N o n e t h e l e s s , the Rb-Sr t r o m e t e r s a n d have uncertainties at the 9 5 T h e isotopic ratios within each g r o u p ex-
d a t a are consistent w i t h a s t r a t i g r a p h i e age percent confidence level of a b o u t 0 . 0 0 0 1 o r hibit n o s y s t e m a t i c g e o g r a p h i c v a r i a t i o n
of late M i o c e n e to m i d d l e Pliocene f o r t h e less. such as t h a t n o t e d for M e s o z o i c granitic
Huaylillas f o r m a t i o n (Wilson a n d G a r c i a , The Arequipa and Barroso volcanics r o c k s of c e n t r a l C a l i f o r n i a (Kistler a n d
1 9 6 2 ; Lefevre, 1973). f o r m t w o geochemically distinct suites of P e t e r m a n , 1973). Indeed, a m o n g the Ba-
andesite and dacite (Table 1). C h e m i c a l a n d rroso s a m p l e s the lowest (0.7054) a n d o n e
ANALYTICAL RESULTS isotopic similarities and c o n t r a s t s between of t h e h i g h e s t ( 0 . 7 0 6 5 ) m e a s u r e d r a t i o s
these t w o suites are the focus of this p a p e r . were o b t a i n e d f r o m t w o a d j a c e n t flows in
T h e rocks s a m p l e d (see Fig. 1 f o r sample T h e ignimbrites of the Sencca and H u a y l i - t h e s a m e o u t c r o p . It is i m p o r t a n t to note,
locations) are fresh a n d display n o p é t r o - llas f o r m a t i o n s have not been studied as sys- h o w e v e r , t h a t in g r o s s a s p e c t t h e r e is a
g r a p h i e evidence of a l t e r a t i o n ( H a O a n d tematically as h a v e the m o r e mafic lavas, significant a n d d i s c o n t i n u o u s g e o g r a p h i c
C 0 2 c o n t e n t s less t h a n 1 percent a n d 0 . 0 5 but they a p p e a r generally to display fewer variation in isotopic r a t i o f r o m s o u t h e a s t to
percent, respectively, w i t h average andesite consistent geochemical trends. northwest.
H 2 0 c o n t e n t ~ 0.3 percent). W e observed T h e s t r o n t i u m isotopic c o m p o s i t i o n s of
n o o b v i o u s evidence of c o n t a m i n a t i o n . Isotopic C o m p o s i t i o n s the t w o units differ significantly f r o m o n e
M a j o r a n d m i n o r elements w e r e m e a - a n o t h e r . A l t h o u g h there is slight o v e r l a p in
sured by x-ray fluorescence w i t h estimated T h e Sr 87 /Sr 86 ratios of t h e A r e q u i p a and the isotopic ratios, t h e average of t h e Ba-
uncertainties in K, R b , a n d Sr of a b o u t 5 B a r r o s o volcanics (plotted as h i s t o g r a m s in rroso rocks is a b o u t 0 . 0 0 1 5 lower t h a n t h a t
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ANDEAN CENOZOIC VOLCANISM 595

CE
6 -
Barroso
4 - Volcanics —

2 -

V / 1 i i i
0.7050 0.7070 0.7090

Figure 2. Histograms showing distribution of

measured Sr87/Sr86 ratios in Arequipa and Ba-
rroso volcanics.

of t h e A r e q u i p a rocks. As w e s h o w below,
this difference c a n n o t readily be explained
by v a r i a t i o n in c h e m i s t r y , a l t h o u g h t h e
isotopic variation within each association
correlates closely w i t h trace-element geo-
chemistry.
T h e i g n i m b r i t e s of t h e S e n c c a a n d
Huaylillas f o r m a t i o n s s h o w little systematic Rb/Sr
variation in their Sr 87 /Sr 86 ratios. R a t i o s for
Figure 3. Variation of Sr8?/Sr86 versus Rb/Sr ratios for Arequipa and Barroso volcanics. Open
the Sencca rhyolitic ignimbrites are high,
circles, Arequipa volcanics; closed circles, Barroso volcanics. Solid lines define 400-m.y. pseudoiso-
a r o u n d 0 . 7 0 8 5 , w h i l e t h e dacitic ignim- chrons through each group of samples.
brites of t h e H u a y l i l l a s f o r m a t i o n iiave
ratios between 0 . 7 0 6 a n d 0 . 7 0 7 .
In Figure 5, w e plot Sr versus Sr 87 /Sr 86 . Kistler a n d P e t e r m a n ( 1 9 7 3 ) a t t a c h e d
Trace-Element Variations T h e s h a r p disparity in Sr 87 /Sr 86 ratios be- considerable i m p o r t a n c e to the correlation
tween the A r e q u i p a and B a r r o s o volcanics of a p a r a m e t e r " k " f K 2 0 / ( K 2 0 + N a 2 0 ) ]
T h e Sr 87 /Sr 86 ratios of t h e A r e q u i p a a n d is clearly s h o w n . A similar linear relation- w i t h the initial s t r o n t i u m isotopic ratio. In
B a r r o s o volcanics are positively correlated ship h o l d s f o r Sr 87 /Sr 86 p l o t t e d versus R b . general, they f o u n d t h a t for increasing " k "
w i t h Rb/Sr ratios (Fig. 3). Both sets of d a t a T h e systematic variation of isotopic c o m - (more highly differentiated fractions), t h e
f o r m ill-defined p s e u d o i s o c h r o n s of a b o u t position w i t h R b a n d Sr c o n c e n t r a t i o n s im- i n i t i a l S r 8 7 / S r 8 6 r a t i o i n c r e a s e s b o t h in
4 0 0 m.y. Initial ratios based on the poses constraints t h a t later become central oceanic a n d island-arc volcanic rocks. For a
4 0 0 - m . y . p s e u d o i s o c h r o n are 0 . 7 0 6 1 a n d to o u r a r g u m e n t w h e n w e take u p t h e ques- g r o u p of M e s o z o i c g r a n i t i c r o c k s of
0 . 7 0 4 4 f o r t h e A r e q u i p a and B a r r o s o vol- tion of the degree a n d source of crustal con- California, Kistler a n d P e t e r m a n f o u n d t h a t
canics, respectively. T h e c o r r e l a t i o n be- t a m i n a t i o n of the volcanic assemblages. " k " = 0 . 4 0 m a r k s a crude discontinuity
tween Sr 87 /Sr 86 a n d Rb/Sr ratios to p r o d u c e
a p s e u d o i s o c h r o n of 4 0 0 m.y. m a y repre-
sent either i n h o m o g e n e i t y in t h e m a g m a
source region or contamination of
h o m o g e n e o u s m a g m a by c r u s t a l o r
u p p e r - m a n t l e rocks. T o e x a m i n e these al-
ternatives, it is necessary t o consider t h e
p r i n c i p a l f e a t u r e s of t h e t r a c e - e l e m e n t
g e o c h e m i s t r y in r e l a t i o n t o s t r o n t i u m
isotopic c o m p o s i t i o n s .
W e have p l o t t e d R b versus Sr in Figure 4
for the A r e q u i p a a n d B a r r o s o volcanics; t h e
d a t a c o m p o s e a c o n t i n u o u s series t h a t is
m a r k e d by a d i s t i n c t c h a n g e in s l o p e .
Analyses of the A r e q u i p a volcanics s h o w a
diffuse, nearly flat, Rb-Sr t r e n d , w h e r e a s
analyses of the B a r r o s o volcanics exhibit a Figure 4. Variation of Rb concentration and Sr concentration. Open circles, Arequipa volcanics;
negative Rb-Sr correlation. closed circles, Barroso volcanics. Solid lines define approximate trends for the two assemblages.
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596 JAMES AND OTHERS
a b o v e w h i c h initial s t r o n t i u m isotopic
ratios are greater t h a n 0 . 7 0 6 0 a n d below
which they are less t h a n 0 . 7 0 6 0 . T h e An-
dean volcanic rocks exhibit increasing
Sr 87 /Sr 86 ratios w i t h increasing " k " ( s h o w n
in Fig. 6), b u t there are n o discontinuities in
t h e t r e n d like t h o s e o b s e r v e d f o r t h e
California granitic rocks. R a t h e r , the Are-
quipa and Barroso volcanics form two
separate b u t roughly parallel t r e n d s offset
by a difference in Sr 8 7 /Sr 8 6 of a b o u t 0 . 0 0 1 t o
0 . 0 0 2 . T h e " k " values for b o t h series are
entirely w i t h i n t h e r a n g e defined by Peter-
m a n and H e d g e (1971) for oceanic-island
tholeiitic a n d alkalic basalt.
Figure 5. Variation of Sr87/Sr86 versus Sr con- O n e e x a m p l e of t h e relatively primitive
centration. Open circles, Arequipa volcanics; n a t u r e of t h e volcanics is evident in Figure 7
closed circles, Barroso volcanics. (Rb/Sr versus R b ) . T h e fields f o r initial
Sr 8 7 /Sr 8 6 < 0 . 7 0 4 0 a n d f o r i n i t i a l r a t i o s
> 0 . 7 0 4 0 r e p o r t e d by Kistler a n d P e t e r m a n
(1973) for M e s o z o i c granitic r o c k s of cen-
0.7080
tral C a l i f o r n i a are s h o w n for c o m p a r i s o n .
Also s h o w n for c o m p a r i s o n are the aver-
ages f o r o c e a n i c alkali b a s a l t s ( a d a p t e d
u> 0.7070
CD f r o m Kistler a n d P e t e r m a n , 1 9 7 3 , as calcu-
Vi
l> lated f r o m d a t a by H a r t a n d others, 1970).
cs
vi T h e A r e q u i p a volcanics lie w i t h i n the range
0.7060 of i n i t i a l S r 8 7 / S r 8 6 < 0 . 7 0 4 0 f o u n d f o r
California r o c k s and are n o t far r e m o v e d
f r o m the values for oceanic-island alkali
basalt. M o s t of t h e B a r r o s o volcanics, h o w -
K20/(K20 + Na20) ever, fall at t h e lower end of the field of
initial ratios for C a l i f o r n i a r o c k s > 0 . 7 0 4 0 ,
Figure 6. Variation of Sr 87 /Sr 86 versus a l t h o u g h t w o values lie w i t h i n t h e range
K 2 0 / ( K 2 0 + N a 2 0 ) . Open circles, Arequipa < 0 . 7 0 4 0 . H e n c e , despite high Sr87/Sr86
volcanics; closed circles, Barroso volcanics. ratios, the Rb-Sr variation of t h e A r e q u i p a
a n d , t o a lesser e x t e n t , t h e B a r r o s o vol-
canics is similar to that of rocks w i t h l o w e r
isotopic ratios.
0.200
F r o m the trace-element v a r i a t i o n s a n d
the s t r o n t i u m i s o t o p i c c o m p o s i t i o n s , w e
can s u m m a r i z e t h e f o l l o w i n g :
1. T h e A r e q u i p a a n d B a r r o s o volcanics
0. 150 exhibit significantly different Sr 87 /Sr 86 c o m -
positions, a n d at any given Rb/Sr ratio, " k "
t/5
£3
value, o r Sr c o n c e n t r a t i o n , t h e Sr 87 /Sr 86 of
cc the latter is a b o u t 0 . 0 0 2 lower.
0.100 2. B o t h v o l c a n i c a s s e m b l a g e s d i s p l a y
r o u g h p s e u d o i s o c h r o n s of a b o u t 4 0 0 m.y.,
g i v i n g " i n i t i a l r a t i o s " of 0 . 7 0 6 1 a n d
0.7044.
0.050 3. D e s p i t e h i g h e r S r ^ / S r 8 6 r a t i o s , t h e
A r e q u i p a volcanics a r e less differentiated
a n d m o r e primitive t h a n the B a r r o s o vol-
40 60 80 100
canics.
Rb ( ppm)
Figure 7. Variation of Rb/Sr versus Rb con- INTERPRETATION
centration. Open circles, Arequipa volcanics;
closed circles, Barroso volcanics. Dashed field in In deciphering the origin a n d history of
lower left represents range of values found by the m a g m a t i c processes t h a t c u l m i n a t e in
Kistler and Peterman (1973) for central Califor-
v o l c a n i c e r u p t i o n , a m u l t i t u d e of barely
nia granitic rocks with initial Sr 87 /Sr 86 ratios
< 0 . 7 0 4 0 ; dashed field in upper right is for initial separable f a c t o r s poses a f u n d a m e n t a l chal-
ratios > 0 . 7 0 4 0 . Solid square labeled AB is aver- lenge to i n t e r p r e t a t i o n . T h e C e n o z o i c vol-
age value for oceanic-island alkali basalt (Hart canic r o c k s of s o u t h e r n Peru exhibit geo-
and others, 1970; Kistler and Peterman, 1973). chemical c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s t h a t o f f e r clues,
s o m e quite obscure, as to t h e petrogenesis
of the m a g m a s . W e shall a t t e m p t here to
consider the alternative origins and evolu-
tion histories of t h e m a g m a s in the light of
the d a t a presented above.
W e h a v e previously expressed t h e view
(James, 1 9 7 1 a ; J a m e s a n d B r o o k s , 1973)
t h a t A n d e a n v o l c a n i s m is p r o d u c e d by
s u b d u c t i o n - z o n e processes similar to t h o s e
of island arcs. By this model, a n d excluding
t h e e f f e c t s of c r u s t a l c o n t a m i n a t i o n , t h e
m a g m a of the A n d e a n arc should resemble
t h a t of the island arcs in m o s t i m p o r t a n t
aspects. W e h a v e r e p o r t e d ( J a m e s a n d
others, 1975) t h a t s t r o n t i u m isotopic r a t i o s
a n d m a j o r - a n d m i n o r - e l e m e n t chemistry of
t h e M e s o z o i c m a g m a s of the A n d e a n arc
c o n f o r m t o the simple i s l a n d - a r c m o d e l .
M o r e o v e r , t h e g e o c h e m i s t r y of C e n o z o i c
A n d e a n andesites (presented in this p a p e r
a n d by Lefevre, 1973) s h o w s t h e m to be
within the n o r m a l r a n g e of c o m p o s i t i o n of
the island-arc calc-alkalic series. O n l y t h e
high Sr 8 7 /Sr 8 6 ratios remain an enigma, a n d
it is t o an e x p l a n a t i o n of this o b s e r v a t i o n
that w e t u r n o u r a t t e n t i o n .
Crustal Contamination
W e consider first the possibility t h a t the
A n d e a n m a g m a s o r i g i n a t e d n e a r t h e Be-
nioff z o n e as andesite w i t h initial r a t i o s
n e a r 0 . 7 0 4 0 a n d w e r e altered isotopically
by crustal c o n t a m i n a t i o n . W e choose t h e
value of 0 . 7 0 4 0 as typical of andesite f r o m
simple oceanic (nonsialic) island arcs.
Pertinent trace-element geochemistry a n d
m e a s u r e d Sr 87 /Sr 86 ratios of Peruvian base-
m e n t gneiss are presented in T a b l e 2. Stron-
tium and rubidium concentrations are
a b o u t 100 t o 3 0 0 p p m a n d 1 0 0 p p m , re-
spectively; Sr 8 7 /Sr 8 6 ratios r a n g e f r o m 0 . 7 3
to 0 . 7 7 . If t h e high Sr 87 /Sr 86 in t h e andesite
a n d dacite is the result of assimilation of
gneissic material, limits can be placed on
the a m o u n t of gneissic m a t e r i a l required.
Following E w a r t a n d Stipp (1968), w e have
the f o l l o w i n g relation:
V Sr„ + *Sr c / V Sr 86 / „
+ ( *Sr, \ / j r f M
\ Sr„ + *Sr c ) \ Sr 86 ) c
\ Sr86 ) h '
w h e r e subscripts p, c, a n d h d e n o t e p a r e n t
m a g m a , c o n t a m i n a n t , a n d h y b r i d , respec-
tively, a n d x d e n o t e s weight p r o p o r t i o n of
c o n t a m i n a n t required to raise the Sr 8 7 /Sr 8 6
ratio f r o m 0 . 7 0 4 t o 0 . 7 0 7 . Given t h a t S r p =
1,000 p p m , S r c = 1 2 0 p p m , (Sr 8 7 /Sr 8 6 ) p =
0 . 7 0 4 , (Sr 87 /Sr 86 ) c = 0 . 7 6 0 , a n d (Sr 87 /Sr 86 ) A
= 0 . 7 0 7 , w e h a v e * = 0 . 4 7 a n d Sr„ = 7 1 8
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ANDEAN CENOZOIC VOLCANISM 597

TABLE 2. STRONTIUM ISOTOPIC A N D TRACE-ELEMENT COMPOSITION OF consideration of changes in A n d e a n crustal

PRECAMBRIAN GNEISS OF COASTAL SOUTHERN PERU thickness since M e s o z o i c time. ( C r u s t is
here taken to be t h e material overlying the
Sample Si02 K "k"* Sr K/Sr 87/Sr86 M o h o r o v i c i c discontinuity; the lithosphere
Rb K/Rb Rb/Sr S r
Model age
no. (%) comprises b o t h the crust a n d t h e rigid p a r t
(%) (ppm) (ppm) (present day) (b.y.)
of t h e u p p e r m a n t l e ; see Fig. 8.) Pichler and
PE 18 64.4 2.33 0.78 95 88 245 265 0.971 0.7749 ± 2 1.67 Zeil ( 1 9 6 9 , 1 9 7 2 a , 1 9 7 2 b , 1 9 7 2 c ; also Zeil
PE 19 70.4 1.60 0.53 164 62 98 258 0.765 0.7424 ± 2 1.06 and Pichler, 1967) argued that lower
PE 37 67.2 2.85 0.47 228 118 125 242 0.264 0.7324 ± 1 2.12 crustal rocks are fused to p r o d u c e C e n o z o i c
PE 111 69.1 3.82 0.57 288 124 133 308 0.962 0.7379 ± 2 0.72
andesitic magmas. These lower crustal
rocks are p r e s u m a b l y aged (though Pichler
* "k" = K 2 0 / ( K 2 0 + N a 2 0 ) . a n d Zeil did n o t b r o a c h this subject) to
t Model ages calculated assuming initial Sr87/Sr86 = 0.710. p r o d u c e high Sr 87 /Sr 86 ratios. T h e i r m o d e l
implies t h a t the lower crustal r o c k s w e r e
p p m . T h u s , t h e a d d i t i o n of s o m e 0 . 4 7 p a r t s W e c a n n o t exclude t h e possibility t h a t f o r m e d sufficiently long a g o t o p e r m i t a
of gneissic material t o 1 p a r t m a g m a is re- small-scale c o n t a m i n a t i o n m a y cause chem- significant increase in radiogenic s t r o n t i u m .
quired to raise the Sr 87 /Sr 86 ratio by 0 . 0 0 3 . ical and isotopic variation within the r o c k s T h e Rb/Sr ratio of the volcanic p r o d u c t s is
T h e a d d i t i o n of this a m o u n t of material of a single g r o u p . T h e a n o m a l o u s A r e q u i p a so low as to d e m a n d that t h e lower crustal
w o u l d strongly influence the c o m p o s i t i o n a n d B a r r o s o p s e u d o i s o c h r o n s could indi- rocks w e r e e m p l a c e d at least by Paleozoic
of t h e volcanic rocks, w h i c h should be m a n - cate c o n t a m i n a t i o n by older materials. If a n d p r o b a b l y in P r e c a m b r i a n time. T h i s
ifest as c o n t i n u o u s t r e n d lines e m b r a c i n g so, w e can place some c o n s t r a i n t s on the suggests that crustal v o l u m e in the region of
t h e gneiss c o m p o s i t i o n s w i t h i n t h e e n d n a t u r e of the c o n t a m i n a t i n g rocks. T h e var- the v o l c a n i c a r c h a s r e m a i n e d a p p r o x i -
m e m b e r s of t h e t r e n d . Inspection of Figures iation of Sr 87 /Sr 86 versus Sr, R b , o r " k " re- mately c o n s t a n t since the time of f o r m a t i o n
5 a n d 6 reveals t h a t , w h e n p l o t t e d against quires t h a t the Sr 87 /Sr 86 of the c o n t a m i n a t - of the lower crustal rocks, the only i m p o r -
Sr 87 /Sr 86 , neither Sr n o r " k " f o r m s c o n t i n u - ing material for either the B a r r o s o volcanics t a n t crustal process being one of material
o u s t r e n d lines between the andesite-dacite o r A r e q u i p a volcanics be n o greater t h a n redistribution.
and the gneiss. T h i s w o u l d a p p e a r t o pre- a b o u t 0 . 7 1 t o 0 . 7 2 for any reasonable R b T h e Pichler and Zeil hypothesis (1972a)
c l u d e t h e p o s s i b i l i t y t h a t h i g h Sr 8 7 /Sr 8 6 c o n c e n t r a t i o n or value of " k . " O n t h e basis c a n n o t a c c o u n t f o r c h a n g e s in c r u s t a l
ratios are the p r o d u c t of u p p e r crustal con- of these observations, it a p p e a r s t h a t im- thickness since M e s o z o i c time. W e k n o w
t a m i n a t i o n , at least of c o n t a m i n a t i o n by p r o b a b l y large a m o u n t s of c o n t a m i n a n t that within the region of the present-day
P r e c a m b r i a n gneissic material e n c o u n t e r e d . w o u l d be required to vary the s t r o n t i u m volcanic crest, m a r i n e sediments w e r e de-
W e k n o w of n o o t h e r widespread isotopic ratio by as m u c h as the 0 . 0 0 1 ob- posited as recently as late M e s o z o i c time,
radiogenic rock type in the area of study. served within the t w o g r o u p s . w h i c h indicates t h a t t h e area w a s at o r
W e conclude t h a t the high Sr 87 /Sr 86 ratios of below sea level. Seismic crustal studies have
the Cenozoic volcanic rocks c a n n o t result Aged M a g m a f r o m the L o w e r C r u s t s h o w n t h a t areas that have long remained
f r o m crustal c o n t a m i n a t i o n of a p a r e n t melt at sea level d o not have crustal thicknesses
with strontium isotopic ratios around T h e central a r g u m e n t on lower crustal in excess of 3 0 t o 4 0 k m ( " n o r m a l " conti-
0.7040. origins t u r n s n o t on geochemistry b u t o n a nental crust). Seismic studies of present-day

TONGA EAST PACIFIC

TRENCH RISE TRENCH COAST CENTRAL ANDES

400 300 200 100 0 DISTANCE (KM) 0 100 200 300 400 500
Figure 8. Schematic cross section of juncture between South American and Nazca plates. Plate configuration for Tonga arc is shown for comparison
and is adapted from Isacks and others (1968). Solid dots outline general region of earthquake activity. Earthquakes in Andean region occur both within
descending oceanic plate and overlying continental plate; earthquakes in Tonga arc occur mostly within descending slab, which is bounded top and bottom
by mobile asthenosphere. (After "Evolution of the Andes" by D. E. James. Copyright ® 1973 by Scientific American, Inc. All rights reserved.)
 Downloaded from gsabulletin.gsapubs.org on May 27, 2015
598
A n d e a n crustal s t r u c t u r e , h o w e v e r , s h o w
t h a t t h e A n d e a n crust is nearly 75 k m thick
(James, 1971b). A thick crustal r o o t be-
n e a t h t h e Andes could, of course, have been
predicted o n t h e basis of t o p o g r a p h y a n d
t h e p r i n c i p l e of i s o s t a s y . T h e p r i n c i p l e
states t h a t m a s s excess a b o v e sea level — t h e
volcanic a r c — m u s t be c o m p e n s a t e d by an
equal m a s s deficiency at d e p t h — a crustal
" r o o t . " T h u s , w e k n o w f r o m present-day
crustal structure a n d the a p p l i c a t i o n of iso-
static c o m p e n s a t i o n t h a t t h e A n d e a n crust
b e n e a t h t h e volcanic arc h a s nearly d o u b l e d
in thickness since late M e s o z o i c time.
T h i s increase in crustal thickening could
have o c c u r r e d either by a d d i t i o n of material
t o the crust o r by crustal f o r e s h o r t e n i n g .
Present-day tectonic patterns and the
geologic record p r e c l u d e significant crustal
f o r e s h o r t e n i n g in the volcanic arc (James,
1 9 7 1 a ) ; t h e r e f o r e , t h e increase in crustal
thickness m u s t be the result of the addition
of m a t e r i a l t o t h e A n d e a n c r u s t d u r i n g
C e n o z o i c time. O n this evidence t h e Pichler
a n d Zeil h y p o t h e s i s is u n t e n a b l e geophysi-
cally a n d geologically a n d c a n n o t be used to
a c c o u n t f o r t h e aged m a g m a s p r e s u m e d to
have originated in t h e l o w e r crust.
Mantle Derivation
O p i n i o n diverges on w h e t h e r the p a r e n t
m a t e r i a l f o r v o l c a n i c - a r c m a g m a s is t h e
crust of t h e descending o c e a n i c plate (Green
a n d R i n g w o o d , 1 9 6 8 ) , o r is t h e m a n t l e
a b o v e the descending slab fluxed by w a t e r
sweated f r o m t h e s u b d u c t e d oceanic crust
( M c B i r n e y , 1 9 6 9 ; K u s h i r o , 1 9 7 4 ) , o r is
s o m e c o m b i n a t i o n of t h e s e ( R i n g w o o d ,
1974). Evidence t o d a t e f r o m isotopic a n d
chemical d a t a h a s led s o m e investigators
(for e x a m p l e , A r m s t r o n g , 1971) t o suggest
t h a t island-arc andesite originates by melt-
ing of basaltic oceanic crust c o n t a m i n a t e d
by sediments. T h e s t r o n t i u m isotopic d a t a
f o r basalt a n d andesite of t h e island arcs are
consistent w i t h this model.
As discussed a b o v e , t h e h i g h Sr 8 7 /Sr 8 6
r a t i o s of A n d e a n C e n o z o i c volcanic r o c k s
have led s o m e geologists t o c o n c l u d e t h a t
the m a g m a s o r i g i n a t e in t h e l o w e r crust
r a t h e r t h a n in the m a n t l e or oceanic crust
(Pichler a n d Zeil, 1972a). O h e r s h a v e con-
cluded t h a t t h e high ratios are due t o crustal
c o n t a m i n a t i o n of a p a r e n t andesitic m a g m a
w i t h initially low Sr 8 7 /Sr 8 6 ratios (James a n d
B r o o k s , 1973). (For a t h o r o u g h discussion
of various m o d e l s for crustal c o n t a m i n a t i o n
of mantle-derived m a g m a , see P u s h k a r a n d
others, 1972.) C l a r k a n d o t h e r s (1973) a n d
M c N u t t a n d o t h e r s (1975) f o u n d t h a t , for
n o r t h e r n C h i l e , a u n i f o r m i n c r e a s e in
Sr 8 7 /Sr 8 6 c o r r e l a t e d b o t h w i t h i n c r e a s i n g
d e p t h to t h e Benioff z o n e a n d w i t h progres-
sively d e c r e a s i n g a g e s of t h e v o l c a n i c -
JAMES AND OTHERS
0 708
0 706
,> 0.704
0 702
0 700
50 40 3.0 2.0 10
TIME (b.y. 8.P.)
Figure 9. Variation of mantle Sr87/Sr86 as a
function of time. Solid line is for homogeneous
mantle supplying ocean ridge basalts. Sr87/Sr86
ratio for 4.6 b.y. ago is assumed to be 0.699 and
present-day ratio to be 0 . 7 0 2 6 on the basis of
average oceanic ridge basalt. Dashed lines rep-
resent two-stage lithospheric mantle evolution-
ary trends based on observed Sr87/Sr86 and Rb/Sr
ratios. Mantle from which Arequipa and Barroso
volcanics were derived is assumed to have
evolved along dashed lines shown.
p l u t o n i c c o m p l e x e s . T h e y f o u n d Sr 8 7 /Sr 8 6
ratios increasing systematically f r o m values
as low as 0 . 7 0 2 in M e s o z o i c time t o a b o u t
0 . 7 0 7 in late C e n o z o i c time. They consid-
ered the variation in initial r a t i o to reflect a
systematic c h a n g e in the c o m p o s i t i o n of
partial melts d u r i n g the progressive s u b d u c -
tion of a lithospheric slab.
O n t h e basis of o u r results, w e explain
t h e s t r o n t i u m isotopic v a r i a t i o n s in t e r m s of
a s u b d u c t i o n m o d e l by first describing t h e
differences b e t w e e n the u p p e r - m a n t l e struc-
t u r e b e n e a t h island arcs a n d t h a t of t h e An-
dean volcanic arc. A schematic cross section
s h o w i n g the structure of island-arc a n d An-
dean s u b d u c t i o n zones is given in Figure 8.
O c e a n i c island arcs typically have a zone
of a s t h e n o s p h e r e s a n d w i c h e d between t h e
d o w n g o i n g plate a n d the lithosphère of the
overlying island arc. Island-arc m a g m a s are
considered to be generated either w i t h i n t h e
descending oceanic crust o r w i t h i n the con-
tiguous m a n t l e a s t h e n o s p h e r e . In either in-
stance, the source material has a low
Sr 87 /Sr 86 .
Beneath t h e central Andes, a thick conti-
n e n t a l l i t h o s p h è r e e x t e n d s d o w n w a r d to
t h e Benioff zone t o d e p t h s of 2 0 0 to 3 5 0 k m
(Sacks, 1 9 7 1 ; J a m e s , 1 9 7 1 a , 1 9 7 1 b ; Alex-
a n d e r , 1972). T h u s the d o w n g o i n g oceanic
plate slides a l o n g t h e lower b o u n d a r y of t h e
continental lithosphère t h r o u g h t h e entire
zone of p r o b a b l e andesitic m a g m a genera-
tion.
W e hypothesize that t h e high Sr 87 /Sr 86 is
t h e result either of partial melting of old
radiogenic c o n t i n e n t a l lithosphere o r of
isotopic equilibration of m a g m a s sweated
f r o m the oceanic plate w i t h the c o n t i n e n t a l
lithosphere d u r i n g passage t o the surface. A
critical fact here is t h a t c o n t i n e n t a l litho-
spheric m a n t l e , s o m e p a r t s of w h i c h m a y be
as old as the c o n t i n e n t , travels w i t h the c o n -
tinent and consequently c a n n o t be sub-
d u c t e d . M o r e o v e r , because the lithosphere
is c o n t i n u a l l y t h i c k e n i n g a n d e v o l v i n g
t h r o u g h time, it m a y be i n h o m o g e n e o u s on
almost any scale. T h e likelihood that conti-
nental lithospheric m a n t l e , unlike a s t h e n o -
spheric m a n t l e , is isotopically a n d chemi-
cally i n h o m o g e n e o u s is a c o n s e q u e n c e of
t h e fact t h a t rigid lithosphere c a n n o t circu-
late. T h u s , present-day Sr 8 7 /Sr 8 6 ratios will
d e p e n d u p o n the initial isotopic ratios a n d
u p o n the Rb/Sr r a t i o s of t h a t region of the
m a n t l e at the time it w a s frozen i n t o t h e
S o u t h A m e r i c a n lithosphere. If c o n t i n e n t a l
lithosphere g r o w s by t h e a d d i t i o n of m a n t l e
material p e r c o l a t e d f r o m o r p l a t e d o u t of
the a s t h e n o s p h e r e , it may be enriched in
dispersed elements. Hence, although
y o u n g e r p a r t s of t h e l i t h o s p h e r e s h o u l d
h a v e S r 8 7 / S r 8 6 r a t i o s c l o s e t o t h o s e of
present-day a s t h e n o s p h e r e , older p a r t s m a y
b e s i g n i f i c a n t l y e n r i c h e d in r a d i o g e n i c
strontium.
W e e x a m i n e t h e implications of isotopic
variations w i t h i n t h e lithosphere by consid-
ering s t r o n t i u m isotopic evolution in the
mantle.
Figure 9 s h o w s t h e evolution of m a n t l e
s t r o n t i u m . W e h a v e assumed a straight-line
variation between a Sr 87 /Sr 86 r a t i o 4 . 6 b.y.
a g o of 0 . 6 9 9 a n d a present-day a s t h e n o -
spheric m a n t l e r a t i o of 0 . 7 0 2 6 m e a s u r e d
f o r m i d - o c e a n ridge basalt. T h i s linear in-
crease in s t r o n t i u m isotopic r a t i o implies a
m a n t l e Rb/Sr r a t i o of a b o u t 0 . 0 2 , a l t h o u g h
present-day o c e a n - f l o o r basalt c o m m o n l y
h a s ratios of 0 . 0 1 o r less (S. R. H a r t , 1 9 7 4 ,
oral commun.; H a r t and others, 1970).
T w o evolution lines f o r the A r e q u i p a a n d
B a r r o s o volcanics are s u p e r i m p o s e d u p o n
a s t h e n o s p h e r e m a n t l e evolution in Figure 9.
W e h a v e assumed here t h a t t h e t w o vol-
canic sequences are derived by partial melt-
ing of t w o h o m o g e n e o u s regions d e e p in the
South A m e r i c a n lithosphere, a n d t h a t the
m i n i m u m Rb/Sr r a t i o w i t h i n each g r o u p
represents the Rb/Sr r a t i o of t h e source re-
gion (this latter a s s u m p t i o n is s o m e w h a t
doubtful).
F o r the A r e q u i p a volcanic series, w e as-
s u m e a Rb/Sr ratio in the lithosphere source
region of ~ 0 . 5 5 a n d a Sr 8 7 /Sr 8 6 r a t i o of
0 . 7 0 7 0 . If t h e isotopic evolution is consid-
ered as a simple t w o - s t a g e p r o c e s s , t h e
source region has an age of 3 . 2 b.y. (see Fig.
9). T h i s age is close to the age of the oldest
k n o w n c o n t i n e n t a l r o c k s and implies t h a t
the m a g m a s could have been t a p p e d f r o m a
region of the lithosphere that f o r m e d dur-
ing the early stages of c o n t i n e n t a l for-
mation.
The Barroso volcanics f o r m a m o r e
 Downloaded from gsabulletin.gsapubs.org on May 27, 2015
highly differentiated series, a n d the Rb/Sr
ratios are higher and m o r e dispersed t h a n
those of the A r e q u i p a volcanics. Despite
their m o r e evolved a p p e a r a n c e , the Barroso
volcanics have Sr 87 /Sr 86 ratios significantly
lower than those of the A r e q u i p a volcanics.
W e have assumed for the source region a
Rb/Sr ratio of 0 . 0 7 a n d a Sr 87 /Sr 86 ratio of
0 . 7 0 5 4 (the lowest values observed). O n the
basis of these figures, w e o b t a i n an age of
1.25 b.y. for the source region. W e place
little reliance on this age at present, for the
Rb/Sr ratios vary widely, and lower Rb/Sr
ratios m a y yet be f o u n d . H o w e v e r , it m a y
well be possible f r o m f u r t h e r s a m p l i n g a n d
analysis t o determine w i t h m o r e confidence
the Rb/Sr and Sr 87 /Sr 86 ratios for the litho-
spheric source region of the Barroso vol-
canics.
It remains to consider possible causes of
s t r o n t i u m isotopic variation within each of
the t w o volcanic units. T h e consistent vari-
ation of Sr 8 7 /Sr 8 6 w i t h Rb/Sr t o p r o d u c e
p s e u d o i s o c h r o n s could o c c u r by at least
three processes: (1) crustal c o n t a m i n a t i o n ;
(2) local, small-scale inhomogeneity of the
m a n t l e source; and (3) disequilibrium melt-
ing of m a n t l e material. T h e s e alternatives
are n o t necessarily mutually exclusive.
In the light of evidence already presented,
crustal c o n t a m i n a t i o n is an unlikely source
of s t r o n t i u m isotopic variations. W e base
this conclusion chiefly on the large a m o u n t s
of c o n t a m i n a n t required a n d on the internal
consistency of the isotopic variation within
e a c h of t h e t w o a s s e m b l a g e s . Selective
leaching of highly radiogenic phases f r o m
crustal rocks could, of course, greatly re-
duce the a m o u n t of c o n t a m i n a n t required;
however, this mechanism is rather implaus-
ible in view of t h e constraints implied by
the regionally i n d e p e n d e n t internal consist-
ency of the isotopic variation.
O n the basis of available d a t a , w e inter-
pret the small isotopic variation within each
of the volcanic units as due either to small-
scale inhomogeneities in the m a n t l e m a t e r -
ial at the source or to disequilibrium melt-
ing of comparatively h o m o g e n e o u s source
material. T h e latter process is usually de-
scribed (for example, see O ' N i o n s and P a n k -
h u rst, 1 9 7 3 ; S i g v a l d a s o n a n d o t h e r s ,
1974) as melting of h o m o g e n e o u s m a n t l e
w i t h o u t isotopic equilibration between li-
quid and residual phases. T h u s as mineral
phases w i t h greater or lesser a b u n d a n c e s of
R b (and, hence, radiogenic Sr) enter the
melt, the isotopic composition of the melt
varies accordingly. W e presently f a v o r the
alternative involving a heterogeneous
source region, as it could readily a c c o u n t
for t h e observed isotopic variation. O u r
d a t a d o not allow us to d i s c o u n t disequilib-
rium melting, but in the absence of any ex-
perimental verification of this process, w e
ANDEAN CENOZOIC VOLCANISM
are reluctant t o use it as a basis for interpre-
tation.
W h e t h e r the 4 0 0 - m . y . p s e u d o i s o c h r o n s
represent the age of an actual m a n t l e event
r e m a i n s an o p e n question. T h e o b s e r v a -
tions d o not necessarily imply a 4 0 0 - m . y .
Rb-Sr age f o r the source region, as parti-
tioning between melt and residue for R b
and Sr may be different. It does s h o w , h o w -
ever, t h a t gross m a n t l e inhomogeneities be-
tween the source regions of the A r e q u i p a
and Barroso volcanics must exist by virtue
of the different "initial r a t i o s " implied by
the p s e u d o i s o c h r o n s . If the d a t a reflect the
t r u e age of a m a n t l e event, w e speculate
t h a t it w a s a m a j o r one, possibly of the na-
ture of continental rifting and p r o b a b l y in-
volving all of the continental lithosphere
a l o n g t h e m a r g i n of w e s t - c e n t r a l S o u t h
America.
SUMMARY
T h e d a t a presented in this p a p e r s h o w
that neither the high Sr 87 /Sr 86 ratios of the
A r e q u i p a a n d B a r r o s o volcanics n o r the
disparity in isotopic composition between
t h e t w o volcanic units can be d u e t o varying
d e g r e e s of c r u s t a l c o n t a m i n a t i o n of an
isotopically primitive parent m a g m a . A cor-
relative conclusion, based on geochemical
and geophysical d a t a , is t h a t t h e andesitic-
dacitic m a g m a s are p r o b a b l y n o t derived by
anatexis of old crustal material.
D i s p a r a t e Sr 87 /Sr 86 ratios between the t w o
volcanic units can be explained as a conse-
quence of gross differences in the isotopic
c o m p o s i t i o n of t h e r e s p e c t i v e m a g m a
source regions in the mantle.
I n t e r n a l v a r i a t i o n s of Sr 8 7 /Sr 8 6 r a t i o s
within a given volcanic unit can be inter-
preted as relating t o the m a g m a source reg-
ion in one of t w o ways: (1) m a g m a genera-
tion f r o m different parts of a locally in-
h o m o g e n e o u s source or (2) disequilibrium
melting of a u n i f o r m source.
T h e most consistent tectonic m o d e l ac-
counting for b o t h the geochemical and
isotopic c h a r a c t e r of the C e n o z o i c volcanic
rocks of s o u t h e r n Peru is one resembling
the " n o r m a l " island-arc model but differing
in that a very thick South American litho-
s p h e r e r e s u l t s in an o c e a n i c l i t h o -
sphere—continental lithosphere s u b d u c t i o n
zone b o u n d a r y to depths in excess of those
f r o m which calc-alkalic m a g m a s normally
originate. Implicit in this model is the as-
s u m p t i o n that the continental lithosphere is
either thermally prepared for anatexis,
a w a i t i n g only w a t e r f r o m the oceanic plate,
o r is at least c o n t e m p l a t i n g isotopic equilib-
ration w i t h m a g m a derived f r o m the de-
scending plate.
It is a consequence of the foregoing
model that variation in age and Rb/Sr ratios
599
of m a n t l e rocks of t h e deep, thick continen-
tal lithosphere m a y be used to explain the
widely disparate Sr 87 /Sr 86 ratios observed in
surface-exposed C e n o z o i c volcanic rocks.
T h e s t r o n t i u m i s o t o p i c v a r i a t i o n results
either by melting of i n h o m o g e n e o u s conti-
nental lithosphere o r by isotopic equilibra-
tion of a h o m o g e n e o u s m a g m a w i t h isotop-
ically i n h o m o g e n e o u s mantle.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
T h i s w o r k w o u l d not have been possible
w i t h o u t the c o o p e r a t i o n of o u r m a n y col-
leagues in South America. Special t h a n k s go
to Ing. E l e o r d o r o Bellido, Director of the
Peruvian Servicio de Geología y M i n e r í a ,
and to Ing. Alberto Giesecke, Director of
the Instituto Geofísico del Perú, for their
c o n t r i b u t i o n t o a r r a n g i n g for field t r a n s p o r -
tation and geologic m a p s . Dr. Anibal R o d -
riguez of the Universidad N a c i o n a l de San
Agustín has been particularly h e l p f u l on
some aspects of field logistics. Special ap-
preciation goes to the staff of t h e Inter-
American Geodetic Survey in Peru, C a p -
tains K o e n e m a n a n d J o s e p h and Colonel
G r i s c o m , for their efficient and invaluable
help in t r a n s p o r t i n g by air and at n o m i n a l
cost several tons of samples f r o m Peru to
Washington, D.C.
L a b o r a t o r y facilities for m a j o r - e l e m e n t
and minor-element x-ray fluorescence
analysis were kindly m a d e available by Dr.
B. G u n n of the University of M o n t r e a l , a n d
w e wish to t h a n k technicians M . Kerba and
S. Babikian for m a k i n g m a n y of the X R F
analyses. L a b o r a t o r y facilities for the
m e a s u r e m e n t of s t r o n t i u m isotopic ratios
are m a i n t a i n e d by Dr. S. R. H a r t a n d K.
Burrhus. M e a s u r e m e n t s of H 2 0 and C 0 2
w e r e m a d e on a gas c h r o m a t o g r a p h main-
tained by Dr. E. H a r e of the Geophysical
L a b o r a t o r y of the Carnegie Institution of
Washington.
T h e m a n u s c r i p t has been read critically
by Drs. S. R. H a r t , A. H o f m a n n , a n d A. T .
Linde. S u p p o r t f o r this w o r k w a s provided
by g r a n t s f r o m t h e N a t i o n a l Science F o u n -
dation (Grant no. G A 3 6 0 9 4 ) , the H . O .
W o o d Fund of Carnegie Institution, and the
N a t i o n a l R e s e a r c h C o u n c i l of C a n a d a
(Grant no. A - 5 5 8 1 t o Brooks).
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MANUSCRIPT RECEIVED BY THE SOCIETY
NOVEMBER 2 0 , 1974
REVISED MANUSCRIPT RECEIVED APRIL 7,1975
MANUSCRIPT ACCEPTED JUNE 2 4 , 1975
Printed in U.S.A.
Downloaded from gsabulletin.gsapubs.org on May 27, 2015

Geological Society of America Bulletin

Andean Cenozoic volcanism: Magma genesis in the light of strontium isotopic

composition and trace-element geochemistry
DAVID E. JAMES, CHRISTOPHER BROOKS and ARTURO CUYUBAMBA

Geological Society of America Bulletin 1976;87, no. 4;592-600

doi: 10.1130/0016-7606(1976)87<592:ACVMGI>2.0.CO;2

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