Lithos 258–259 (2016) 1–14

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Lithos

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Petrogenesis and origin of modern Ethiopian rift basalts:

Constraints from isotope and trace element geochemistry
D. Ayalew a,⁎, S. Jung b, R.L. Romer c, F. Kersten d, J.A. Pfänder d, D. Garbe-Schönberg e
a
School of Earth Sciences, Addis Ababa University, P.O. Box 1176, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
b
Mineralogisch-Petrographisches Institut, Universität Hamburg, Grindelallee 48, 20146 Hamburg, Germany
c
Helmholtz-Zentrum Potsdam, Deutsches GeoForschungsZentrum GFZ, Telegrafenberg, 14473 Potsdam, Germany
d
Geologisches Institut, Technische Universität-Bergakademie Freiberg, Bernhard-von-Cotta Str.2, 09599 Freiberg, Germany
e
Institut für Geowissenschaften, Abteilung Geologie, Universität Kiel, Ludewig-Meyn-Strasse 10, 24118 Kiel, Germany

a r t i c l e i n f o a b s t r a c t

Article history: The source of continental rift-related basalts and their relation to rifting processes is a continuous matter of
Received 23 September 2015 debate. We present major and trace element and Sr, Nd, Hf and Pb isotope data for axial rift basalts from eight
Accepted 5 April 2016 volcanic centres (Ayelu, Hertali, Dofan, Fantale, Kone, Bosetti and Gedemsa, from NE to SW) in Afar and Main
Available online 22 April 2016
Ethiopian Rift (MER) to assess their source regions and their genetic relationships. These lavas have geochemical
characteristics, i.e., a peak at Ba, Nb and troughs at K and Rb in primitive mantle-normalised multielement dia-
Keywords:
Ethiopian rift basalts
grams, which are consistent with predominant melting of an amphibole-bearing lithospheric mantle. However,
Mixed source the isotopic compositions for these lavas are heterogeneous (87Sr/86Sr = 0.70354–0.70431, 143Nd/144Nd =
Petrogenesis 0.51280–0.51294, 176Hf/177Hf = 0.28301–0.28315, 206Pb/204Pb = 18.48–19.31, 207Pb/204Pb = 15.53–15.62,
208
Veined lithosphere Pb/204Pb = 38.61–39.06) and require various mantle reservoirs with distinctive isotopic signatures. The
range of isotopic compositions requires the involvement of three distinct source components from the astheno-
spheric and veined lithospheric mantle. Progressive rifting leads to lithosperic thinning and upwelling of hot as-
thenospheric mantle, which induces melting of the veined lithospheric mantle. The trace element characteristics
of the lavas are dominated by the vein material, which has a higher trace element content than the surrounding
mantle. The isotopic composition of the vein material, however, is not very different from the ambient mantle,
giving rise of apparent uncoupling of trace element and isotope constraints for the melt source. The uprising
basaltic liquids in part inherit a lithospheric trace element signature, while their isotopic compositions are mostly
unaffected due to short residence times within the lithosphere in context with progressive rifting and lithospheric
thinning. Thus, the geochemical and isotope data are consistent with a multi-component source prevailing
beneath the Afar and MER areas in which the basalts are generated during progressive rifting and, thus, passive
upwelling of a mantle source.
© 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

1. Introduction
The Main Ethiopian Rift (MER) constitutes a part of the East African
Rift System (EARS) and merges with the oceanic Red Sea and Gulf
of Aden rifts in a triple junction located in the Afar depression
(Wolfenden et al., 2004). Rifting and volcanism in the MER has been
considered to be related to mantle plume activity (e.g., Furman, 2007;
Marty et al., 1996; Pik et al., 1999). The impinging Afar plume is
assumed to have triggered flood basalt volcanism in the homonymous
region ~ 30 Ma ago (Hofmann et al., 1997). There is no consensus on
the number(s) of mantle plumes; some authors assume that recent
eruptions in the Erta'Ale range in Afar are triggered by the Afar plume
⁎ Corresponding author. Tel.: +251911408815.
(Furman et al., 2006), while others argue that magmatism in southern
Ethiopia is related to a Kenya mantle plume (Rogers et al., 2000) in
agreement with the plate motion reconstructions from O'Connor et al.
(1999) suggesting that the Afar plume is also presently impinging SW
of its former location.
At present the MER is in an evolved stage of continental rifting,
progressing towards continental breakup (e.g., Kurz et al., 2007;
Wolfenden et al., 2004). A recent bimodal volcanic activity takes place
exclusively in the axial portions of the rift and is, in most cases, confined
to magmatic segments which are aligned en-echelon along the rift axis
(Keranen et al., 2004; Kurz et al., 2007). The source of recent basaltic
rocks in the MER and their possible interaction with the lithosphere
remain controversial. Several authors suggested that at least two
isotopically distinct mantle reservoirs contributed to the genesis of
Quaternary basaltic lavas in the rift (e.g., Barberi et al., 1980; Hart

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.lithos.2016.04.001
0024-4937/© 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
2 D. Ayalew et al. / Lithos 258–259 (2016) 1–14

et al., 1989). Hart et al. (1989) found isotopic evidence for a depleted
mid ocean ridge basalt (MORB)-like source and a depleted ocean island
basalt (OIB)-like mantle reservoir. Furman et al. (2006) argue that
recent Afar lavas originate from a depleted mantle source whereas
within-rift basalts show an isotopic signature that resembles enriched
mantle. Recently, Rooney et al. (2012) interpreted the isotopic varia-
tions observed on modern basalts erupted along the MER as the result
of mixing from three components; the Afar plume, the asthenospheric
upper mantle and the continental lithosphere. The influence of the
plume signature appears to decrease along the MER away from the
Afar to southern Ethiopia (Rooney et al., 2012).
In order to constrain the sources of coeval MER and Afar basalts, we
investigated mafic volcanic products from eight volcanic centres in
southern Red Sea rift (Ayelu, Hertali and Dofan from NE to SW) and
MER (Fantale, Kone, Boseti and Gedemsa from NE to SW; Fig. 1).
Based on new major and trace element as well as Sr–Nd–Hf–Pb isotopic
data, we discuss the origin of Quarternary rift-related basalts and place
constraints on the mantle sources and the melting conditions.
2. Geological background
2.1. Volcanic history
Volcanic activity commenced around 45 Ma ago in southern Ethiopia
(George et al., 1998), resulting in bimodal basaltic flows and associated
rhyolites covering wide areas. The peak of magmatism occurred ~30 Ma
ago, leading to flood basalt eruptions in Ethiopia and Yemen (Hofmann
et al., 1997). At ~25 Ma, continental rifting commenced in the southern
Red Sea (Hart et al., 1989). In southern Ethiopia, extension began
~ 18 Ma ago (Keranen et al., 2004) and was accompanied by basaltic
magmatism, active for about 7 to 8 million years (George et al., 1998).
The Southern Ethiopian Rift propagated northwards, reaching the
present central Main Ethiopian Rift (MER) ~ 14 Ma ago (Brotzu et al.,
1981) and ultimately joining the southern Red Sea rift ~ 11 Ma ago
(Chernet et al., 1998; Wolfenden et al., 2004). Contemporaneously
to the connection between the MER and Red Sea rifts, a flood basalt
event occurred in this area (Chernet et al., 1998). Beginning in the
Late Miocene and continuing throughout the Pliocene, silicic volcanic
centres emerged from the rift floor (Kurz et al., 2007). According to
Lahitte et al. (2003), the underlying magma chambers represent zones
of lithospheric weakness that indicate the preferred direction of future
rift propagation. Progressive weakening of the lithosphere in Afar, asso-
ciated with heating and thermomechanical erosion of the lower crust
(Rooney et al., 2007) resulted in the onset of oceanic rifting at 5.3 Ma
(Hart et al., 1989). Oceanic rifting is still active in Afar, whereas it has
not commenced in the MER yet (Wolfenden et al., 2004).
The end of Pliocene was marked by a change in the orientation of
the stress field, giving rise to oblique rifting (Boccaletti et al., 1999).
Since then, extension has been localised in narrow (50 km long, maxi-
mum 20 km wide) en-echelon arranged segments on the rift floor
(Kurz et al., 2007), with a system of bounding faults that are referred
to as the Wonji Fault Belt (e.g., Mohr, 1983; Boccaletti et al., 1999;

Eritrea Re
dS
ea
Sudan
N
40oE 41oE
n
de
fA
ti

fo
ou

Ayelu
ib

ul
Dj

Ataye
border fault
FT

Somalia
RI

Addis Ababa
AN
PI
HO
ET

Ethopia Ankober Hertali

N
AI

border fault
M

200 km

Dofan N

Addis Ababa Fantale

Kone
9oN

Boseti

Gedemsa
Arboye
border fault
Guraghe
border fault Asela BF
8oN
Magmatic segment
Silicic edifice
Border fault
Monocline

Fig. 1. Distribution of the magmatic segment along the Ethiopian rift (i.e., Afar and MER), after Wolfenden et al. (2004). The inset shows an overview of the Afro-Arabian Rift system
(East African rift system, and Red Sea and Gulf of Aden rifts).

16
Phonolite
Trachyte
Foidite
12 Tephri-
phonolite
Na2O + K2O (wt. %)
Trachydacite
Phono- Trachy-
tephrite andesite
8 Tephrite
basaltic
trachy-
Basanite
Trachy- andesite
basalt
Dacite
4 basaltic
Andesite
Andesite
Picro-
basalt Basalt
38 58
48
SiO2 (wt. %)
Fig. 2. Total alkalis (Na2O + K2O) versus SiO2 (TAS; LeBas et al., 1986) diagram for axial rift
basalts from Ethiopian rift (Afar: Ayelu, Hertali and Dofan, and MER: Fantale, Kone, Bosetti
and Gedemsa), showing their moderate alkaline affinity. Alkaline–subalkaline division
line is from Irvine and Baragar (1971). Grey field denotes literature data from MER
(Furman et al., 2006).
Bonini et al., 2005). Moreover, these segments have been the locus of
volcanic activity throughout the Quaternary and thus are referred to
as magmatic segments by Kurz et al. (2007). Volcanic activity, associat-
ed with the magmatic segment, was initially characterised by large
volumes of felsic lavas (Fig. 2). When these faults reached the upper
mantle in recent times, basaltic volcanism commenced (Boccaletti
et al., 1999). At present, a volcanic activity within the magmatic seg-
ment is dominated by fissural basalt eruptions (Kurz et al., 2007).
2.2. Nature of the crust and mantle beneath Ethiopia
Based on joint inversion of receiver functions and Rayleigh wave
group velocities (Dugda et al., 2007; Hammond et al., 2011; Stuart
et al., 2008) and controlled source experiments (Maguire et al., 2006),
the crust has a thickness of 35 to 44 km beneath the Ethiopian plateau,
and b18 to 25 km beneath the Afar depression, with thinnest values
north of the Afar triple junction. The crust beneath the MER ranges
from 25 km in the north to 35 km. Similarly, the lithospheric mantle
beneath the Ethiopian plateau extends to a depth of ~ 70–80 km.
Beneath the MER and Afar the lithospheric mantle extends to a depth
of ~ 50 km. Intensive dyking and numerous magma intrusions lead to
a significantly modified lithosphere beneath the MER (Rooney et al.,
2007). Zones of high P-wave velocity underneath the magmatic seg-
ment, detected by seismic tomography, were interpreted as solidified
mafic intrusions (Keranen et al., 2004). Magnetotelluric data revealed
melt intrusions in shallow and midcrustal regions (Whaler and
Hautot, 2006). Placed beneath the Quaternary extrusions on the surface,
this melt is generally associated with the magma chambers feeding the
silicic volcanoes in the rift (e.g., Peccerillo et al., 2003; Rooney et al.,
2007). Heat input from the anomalously hot asthenosphere (Kendall
et al., 2005) further contributes to a weakened lithosphere that is
prone to rift propagation (Keranen et al., 2004; Lahitte et al., 2003).
Further geophysical measurements demonstrate that crustal thickness
in the rift decreases from the south towards Afar, where rifting is most
progressed. Moho depths of ~ 38 km in the southern MER, ~ 24 km
beneath Fantale (Dugda et al., 2005) and ~16 km in Afar were inferred
(Hayward and Ebinger, 1996).
3. Analytical methods
Fresh samples were crushed to 3–5 mm small chips in a steel crusher
at the Geologisches Institut/TU Freiberg. The chips were ground to a fine
D. Ayalew et al. / Lithos 258–259 (2016) 1–14 3
powder (grain size b 63 μm) in an agate planetary mill. Each sample
was divided into representative sub-samples, which were later used
Afar for geochemical analysis. Major elements and trace elements for
some samples were determined on sample powders using a lithium
MER
metaborate/tetraborate fusion procedure by ICP-AES and ICP-MS
e
Alkalin methods, respectively at Activation Laboratories Ltd. in Ancaster,
line
Subalka Canada. The trace elements for some samples (61110F, 61110A,
61110C, 61110D, 61119A, ETH-14, ETH-24, ETH-20, ETH-19, ETH-23,
Rhyolite ETH-8, ETH-6, ETH-7 and GMB009) were analysed at the Institut
für Geowissenschaften, Universität Kiel. For trace element analysis
250 mg of whole rock powders were disolved in HF-HNO3, diluted
and measured on an AGILENT 7500cs ICP-MS instrument. For the proce-
dural details see Garbe-Schönberg (1993).
The isotopic composition of Sr, Nd and Pb was measured at
68 Universität Münster and Deutsches GeoForschungsZentrum (Potsdam)
78
and the isotopic composition of Hf was analysed at Universität Münster.
The “ETH” sample series was prepared according to procedures de-
scribed by Thirlwall et al. (1997) and was analysed at Royal Holloway
University of London. Details of the analytical techniques are found in
Appendix A.
4. Results
4.1. Petrography
The distribution of sampled volcanic centres in the MER and Afar
is shown in Fig. 1. Basic rocks occur as an aa-lava flow with mostly
unweathered surfaces. The basalts are typically slightly to highly
vesicular (vesicles up to 5 cm), but massive basalts are also abundant.
Vesicular basalts exhibit brown to reddish crusts when altered. The
samples are variably porphyritic with phenocrysts of plagioclase, olivine
and clinopyroxene (Ti-augite) with rare microphenocrysts of Fe–Ti ox-
ides. The groundmass exhibits a grey microcrystalline matrix consisting
of specular feldspar and in some samples magnetite and glass.
4.2. Major elements
Major and trace element data are reported in Appendix B. On
the basis of the total alkalis vs. SiO2 classification diagram (TAS, LeBas
et al., 1986), all samples are basalts, with a few samples straddled
along the tholeiitic/alkaline boundary (Fig. 2). The MgO contents of
the samples are variable ranging from 4.5 to 9.2 wt.%. The highest
MgO contents are found from the Kone and Bosetti volcanic fields with-
in the MER. The variations of major elements against MgO are illustrated
in Fig. 3. Na2O, TiO2, Fe2O3 and P2O5 exhibit well-defined negative
trends with decreasing MgO concentration. Oxides of CaO and Al2O3
do not exhibit the same trends. In general, the CaO contents decrease
with decreasing MgO, whereas the Al2O3 contents slightly increase
with decreasing MgO down to ~6 wt.%, and then either remains almost
constant (Afar) or decreases (MER) with decreasing MgO. The K2O con-
tents do not show a systematic variation with MgO, but generally are
higher for MER basalts than for Afar basalts. The investigated lavas
from Afar systematically show more coherent trends than those of MER.
4.3. Trace elements
Trace element variations as a function of MgO from the northern
MER and Afar rifts are shown in Fig. 4. Compatible elements, such as
Ni and Sc, have low concentrations (Ni b 110 ppm, Sc b 36 ppm). Ni
and Cr exhibit strong positive correlation with MgO. Vanadium concen-
trations tend to increase from 9.15 to 5.90 wt.% MgO and decrease to
lower MgO. Large-ion lithophile elements (LILE; e.g., Sr, Ba, Rb) have
no clear trend with MgO although on average MER is more enriched
in Ba, Rb and La at a given MgO than Afar. The concentrations of high-
field strength elements (HFSE; e.g., Nb, Zr, Hf) increase with decreasing
4 D. Ayalew et al. / Lithos 258–259 (2016) 1–14

12
16

CaO (wt. %)

Fe2O3 (wt. %)
11
14
10

9 12

8 10
4 6 8 10 4 6 8 10
MgO (wt%) MgO (wt%)
20 4.0

TiO2 (wt. %)
18
Al2O3 (wt. %)

16 3.0

14

12 2.0
4 6 8 10 4 6 8 10
MgO (wt%) MgO (wt%)

4.0 1.2
Na2O (wt. %)

P2O5 (wt. %)

3.6
0.8
3.2
0.4
2.8

2.4 0.0
4 6 8 10 4 6 8 10
MgO (wt%) MgO (wt%)

1.2
K2O (wt. %)

Afa r
0.8
MER
0.4 MER (Furman et al. 2006)

0.0
4 6 8 10
MgO (wt%)

Fig. 3. Variations of major elements vs. MgO of recent axial rift basalts along Afar and MER.

MgO for most samples, though some scattering is evident for some
samples.
Primitive mantle-normalised multi-element variation diagrams
(Fig. 5a) for representative axial rift samples show intraplate volcanic
patterns with enrichment in highly to moderately incompatible trace
elements similar to OIBs. The patterns are remarkably similar within
each magmatic segment, but occasionally display intersecting trace ele-
ment patterns among different magmatic segments, implying that the
basalts might not be co-genetic. The investigated lavas are characterised
by a strong enrichment in Ba and Nb accompanied by a negative anom-
aly in Rb and K.
Chondrite-normalised rare earth element (REE) patterns of the
basalts from individual volcanoes are presented in Fig. 5b. The REE
patterns of the basalts are parallel to sub-parallel within eruptive cen-
tres, but samples from different volcanic centres commonly intersect
each other. Their Lan/Ybn ratios range from 4.1 to 10.6. Heavy rare
earth element (HREE) are not fractionated, and the Tbn/Ybn ratios in
the basaltic samples are between 1.48 and 1.95. Furthermore, the rift
basalts have high concentrations of HREE (N10 × chondritic values).
The great similarity of trace element pattern for samples within as
well as between individual volcanic centres suggests a fairly homoge-
neous mantle source and/or melting conditions over the entire region.
4.4. Sr, Nd, Hf and Pb isotopes
The isotopic compositions of Sr, Nd, Hf and Pb for rift basalts from
Afar and MER are reported in Table 1. Owing to the young age of the
examined lavas here (b 0.11 ± 0.01 Ma, Chernet et al., 1998) the mea-
sured isotopic ratios were not corrected for in situ decay and hence
they are considered to be representative of the initial values. The
87
Sr/86Sr ratios of the rift basalts show little variation and range from
0.7035 to 0.7043. The 143Nd/144Nd ratios show a moderate range from
 D. Ayalew et al. / Lithos 258–259 (2016) 1–14 5

Afa r
500 MER
160
400
MER (Furman
et al. 2006)
120

Cr (ppm)
300

Ni (ppm)
80 200
40 100

20
4 6 8 10 4 6 8 10
MgO (wt%) MgO (wt%)
650
500
550
400
Sr (ppm)

Ba (ppm)
450
300

350 200

250 100
4 6 8 10 4 6 8 10
MgO (wt%) MgO (wt%)
500 30

400 20
Rb (ppm)
V (ppm)

300 10

200
4 6 8 10 4 6 8 10
MgO (wt%) MgO (wt%)
250
35
200
Zr (ppm)

La (ppm)

25
150

100 15

50 5
4 6 8 10 4 6 8 10
MgO (wt%) MgO (wt%)
3
40
Th (ppm)
Nb (ppm)

2
30

1
20

10 0
4 6 8 10 4 6 8 10
MgO (wt%) MgO (wt%)

Fig. 4. Variations of trace elements vs. MgO for axial rift basalts along Afar and MER.

0.51280 to 0.51294. Basaltic lavas from the MER have significantly lower
143
Nd/144Nd and higher 87Sr/86Sr ratios than the Afar lavas. The
176
Hf/177Hf ratios of the basalts show a moderate variation ranging
from 0.28307 to 0.28315 in Afar and from 0.28301 to 0.28307 in the
MER. On the other hand, the rift lavas display a wide range of Pb isotopic
ratios (206Pb/204Pb: 18.48–19.32, 207Pb/204Pb: 15.53–15.62, 208Pb/204Pb:
38.61–39.07).
Fig. 6 shows the isotope data of the lavas along with reference fields
for various groups of basalts from the surrounding region. The axial rift
lavas plot in the depleted field relative to bulk earth in the Sr–Nd isotope
diagram and display the common negative linear correlation which
trends from more depleted compositions towards bulk earth values.
Afar basalts are more radiogenic in Nd and less radiogenic in Sr than
MER basalts. Modern rift lavas from MER volcanic fields, including
6 D. Ayalew et al. / Lithos 258–259 (2016) 1–14

a those located offset 20 km to the west of the contemporaneous main rift

100 axis (Furman et al., 2006; Giordano et al., 2014; Peccerillo et al., 2003;
Rooney et al., 2012; Trua et al., 1999), display lower 143Nd/144Nd and
slightly higher 87Sr/86Sr values than the investigated samples.
Quarternary basalts from Afar (Barrat et al., 1998; Daoud et al., 2010;
Deniel et al., 1994; Vidal et al., 1991) display 87Sr/86Sr and
Rock/Primitive mantle

143
Nd/144Nd ratios similar to the samples studied here. Young basalts
from the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden spreading centres (Fig. 6) define
more depleted Sr–Nd isotopic compositions, commonly displaying
10 higher 143Nd/144 Nd ratios. High-Ti flood basalts, ascribed to Afar
plume composition (Pik et al., 1999), display a distinct field with
6110A (Afar) higher 143Nd/144Nd values compared to MER basalts. 24 Ma-old
6110D (Afar) shield basalts from the adjacent plateau (Rooney et al., 2014) plot
ETH-7 (MER) far out of the axial basalt field, but trend towards and beyond the
ETH-6 (MER) field of intraplate magmatic rocks from Sudan and Egypt, interpreted
MER (Furman et al. 2006) as lithospheric melts (Lucassen et al., 2008, 2013). Some of the
Turkana lavas (Furman et al., 2004) plot within the field of the
1 axial basalts. The Pan-African lithosphere, represented by small
Rb Ba Th La Ce Pb Pr Sr P Nd Sm Zr Eu Ti Gd Dy Y Ho Yb
U Nb K volumes of intra-plate magmatic rocks from Sudan and Egypt
(Lucassen et al., 2008, 2013), exhibits a large range of 87Sr/86Sr ratios,
b which overlaps with some of the axial rift basalts, but 143Nd/144Nd is
1000 systematically lower at given 87 Sr/86 Sr than in the Pan-African
6110A (Afar) lithosphere.
6110D (Afar) In the plots of 206Pb/204Pb versus 207Pb/204Pb and 208Pb/204Pb, the
ETH-7 (MER) axial rift lavas define linear arrays that extend from values close to
ETH-6 (MER)
those of depleted mantle towards more radiogenic compositions.
MER (Furman et al. 2006)
Lavas from MER are restricted to less radiogenic Pb isotopic composi-
100
tions than Afar samples. Axial lavas overlap the field defined by contem-
Rock/Chondrite

poraneous lavas from the remainder of the Ethiopian rift (MER: Furman
et al., 2006; Giordano et al., 2014; Peccerillo et al., 2003; Rooney et al.,
2012; Trua et al., 1999; Afar: Barrat et al., 1998; Daoud et al., 2010;
Deniel et al., 1994; Vidal et al., 1991), Turkana (Furman et al., 2004)
10 and adjacent high-Ti Oligocene flood basalts (Pik et al., 1999). Young
lavas from the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden spreading centres (Altherr
et al., 1990; Schilling et al., 1992; Volker et al., 1993, 1997) have charac-
teristic non-radiogenic Pb isotopic compositions. Shield basalts have
206
Pb/204Pb ratios comparable with those of Pan-African lithosphere,
but are displaced towards higher 207Pb/204Pb values (Rooney et al.,
1 2014).
La Ce Pr Nd Sm Eu Gd Tb Dy Ho Er Tm Yb Lu
As usual the 176Hf/177Hf ratios of axial basalts correlate positively
with 143Nd/144Nd ratios (Fig. 6). Lavas from the MER including those
Fig. 5. (a) Primitive mantle-normalised multi-element variation diagrams and (b) chondrite-
normalised rare earth element (REE) patterns for representative axial rift basalts from located offset 20 km to the west of the contemporaneous main rift
the MER and Afar. Primitive mantle and chondrite values for normalization are from axis overlap with the axial basalts (Rooney et al., 2012). The Afro-
Sun and McDonough (1989). Arabian mantle is characterised by high 176Hf/177Hf and 143Nd/144Nd

Table 1
Sr, Nd, Hf and Pb isotopic compositions of recent axial basalts from Afar and MER, Ethiopian rift.
87
Volcano Sample Lat. (°) Sr/86Sr 2σ 143
Nd/144Nd 2σ 176
Hf/177Hf 2σ 206
Pb/204Pb 207
Pb/204Pb 208
Pb/204Pb

Afar
Ayelu 61110F 10 0.703839 11 0.512888 06 0.283093 06 18.484 15.533 38.613
Hertali 61110B 9.65 0.703541 11 0.512917 06
Hertali 61110D 9.65 0.703565 11 0.512944 06 0.283127 06 19.318 15.625 39.068
Hertali 61110C 9.65 0.703565 11 0.512924 06 0.283129 06 19.280 15.607 39.057
Hertali 61110A 9.65 0.703607 11 0.512904 06 0.283119 06 18.953 15.559 38.814
Dofan 61109A 9.35 0.703716 11 0.512908 06 0.283146 05 18.895 15.546 38.686
Dofan 61109B 9.35 0.703724 11 0.512905 06
Dofan ETH-14 9.35 0.703757 30 0.512893 04 0.283070 04 18.901 15.569 38.807

MER
Fantale ETH-24 9.00 0.703998 03 0.512893 03 0.283041 08 18.668 15.577 38.660
Fantale ETH-20 9.00 0.704006 05 0.512864 04 0.283034 06 18.743 15.592 38.805
Fantale ETH-19 9.00 0.703971 06 0.512849 03 0.283037 06 18.731 15.578 38.757
Kone ETH-23 8.85 0.704352 90 0.512791 04 18.686 15.601 38.864
Boseti ETH-8 8.70 0.703976 04 0.512841 02 0.283042 04 18.890 15.594 38.927
Boseti ETH-6 8.70 0.704248 07 0.512832 04 0.283012 15 18.977 15.605 39.025
Boseti ETH-7 8.70 0.704144 07 0.512825 03 0.283013 05 18.850 15.601 38.976
Gedemsa M + M 2.3 8.25 0.703849 11 0.512871 06
Gedemsa GMB009 8.25 0.703915 11 0.512879 06 0.283070 06 18.889 15.561 38.733
 D. Ayalew et al. / Lithos 258–259 (2016) 1–14 7

0.5132 15.8
HIMU
DM
Red Sea and Shield basalts
Gulf of Aden
Afar 15.7 EM II
0.5130

207Pb/204Pb
High-Ti Oligocene
143Nd/144Nd
Afro-Arabian
flood basalts lithospheric mantle
HIMU 15.6
Turkana Afar Turkana
MER
0.5128 High-T i Oligocene
Afro-Arabian MER 15.5 flood basalts
lithospheric mantle EM I
Shield basalts EM II Red Sea and
Gulf of Aden
EM I BSE DM
0.5126 15.4
0.7026 0.7030 0.7034 0.7038 0.7042 0.7046 18.0 19.0 20.0 21.0
87Sr/86Sr 206Pb/204Pb

0.2833 41.0
Afar
MER DM Shield basalts
MER (Furman et al., 2006) HIMU

208Pb/204Pb
(Rooney et al., 2012)
0.2831 40.0 Afro-Arabian
Afar lithospheric mantle
176Hf/177Hf

EM I
Afro-Arabian EM II
MER lithospheric mantle Turkana
MER High-Ti Oligocene
0.2829 39.0 flood basalt

Shield basalts HIMU Red Sea and

DM Gulf of Aden
EM
0.2827 38.0
0.5127 0.5128 0.5129 0.5130 18.0 19.0 20.0 21.0
143Nd/144Nd 206Pb/204Pb

Fig. 6. Strontium, Nd, Pb and Hf isotope ratios of axial basalts from Afar and MER in relation to the mantle reservoirs identified for oceanic basalts (Zindler and Hart, 1986; Stracke, 2012).
Also shown for comparisons are compositional fields from various groups of basalts from adjacent plateau (Pik et al., 1999) and shields (Rooney et al., 2014), Red Sea and Gulf of Aden
spreading centres, contemporaneous basalts from Afar and MER, and Pan-African lithospheric mantle. Data for Afar are from Barrat et al. (1998), Daoud et al. (2010), Deniel et al.
(1994), and Vidal et al. (1991); for MER from Trua et al. (1999), Peccerillo et al. (2003), Furman et al. (2006), and Rooney et al. (2012); and for Afro-Arabian lithospheric mantle from
Baker et al. (2002), Teklay et al. (2010), and Beccaluva et al. (2011). DM; depleted mantle, HIMU; high μ, EMI; enriched mantle I, EMII; enriched mantle II, BSE; bulk silicate earth.

ratios (Teklay et al., 2010) that overlap with the field of the young rift constrained in OIB and MORB (Ce/Pb; 25 ± 5; Nb/U = 47 ± 10;
basalts from Afar. Hofmann et al., 1986; Fig. 7). Most basalts of the Ethiopian rift have
Ce/Pb ratios between 20 and 34 similar to those observed in modern
OIB and MORB. Three samples from Kone (EK0407b and ETH23) and
5. Discussion
Gedemsa (M + M2,3), respectively, have lower Ce/Pb (13.0–18.8) and
seem to be contaminated by crustal material, which generally has low
5.1. Fractional crystallization
Ce/Pb (3.3–3.9; Rudnick and Fountain, 1995). However, Ce/Pb displays
a negative correlation with MgO (Fig. 7), ruling out significant crustal
The major element contents of basalts from the Quaternary mag-
contamination as the dominant process. Thus, the trace element charac-
matic segments of the MER and Afar define continuous trends and/or
teristics of MER lavas can be attributed to an enriched mantle source
coherent segmented trends marking the liquid line of descent, which
rather than crustal contamination. Sample 61110F (Ayelu) and ETH24
represents the changing magma composition during fractional crystalli-
(Fantale) exhibit elevated Nb/U (112 and 96, respectively), which may
zation. All basaltic samples are characterised by low Ni (b110 ppm) and
reflect U loss during secondary hydrous alteration.
Cr (b350 ppm) as well as low average MgO contents (4.5–8.7 wt.%).
The isotopic composition of Sr and Nd does not form coherent trends
These values are very low compared to a primary magma (with Ni:
with differentiation indexes (e.g., MgO, Fig. 7), underlining that high
N400–500 ppm, Cr: N1000 ppm and MgO: 10–15 wt.%, Frey et al.,
level assimilation and fractional crystallization (AFC) processes did
1978; Hess, 1992) in equilibrium with a typical upper mantle mineral
not play a major role in the evolution of these rocks. Additionally,
assemblage. Hence, it is concluded that the modern axial rift basalts
the axial rift basalts do not possess negative anomalies in Nb and Ta in
from Afar and MER have undergone olivine and/or clinopyroxene
the primitive mantle-normalised multi-element variation diagrams
fractionation, consistent with the observed phenocrysts assemblage.
(Fig. 6), which otherwise are generally interpreted as an indicator
In addition, the trends of CaO and Al2O3 with MgO indicate fractional
of crustal contamination. Therefore, it is concluded that a significant
crystallization of clinopyroxene and plagioclase.
crustal contribution is absent in the genesis of the axial basalts investi-
gated here.
5.2. Crustal contamination

The lavas are characterised by enrichment in highly and moderately
incompatible elements, which may either be a consequence of crustal
contamination of mantle-derived magma or a derivation from enriched
mantle sources. The ratios of some trace elements having a similar de-
gree of incompatibility (i.e., Ce/Pb or Nb/U) are reasonably well
5.3. Magma generation
The axial basalts from the Ethiopian rift are characterised by
low CaO/Al2O3 ratios (0.59–0.75) and relatively flat HREE patterns
(Tbn/Ybn = 1.48–1.95) together with somewhat elevated HREE
8 D. Ayalew et al. / Lithos 258–259 (2016) 1–14

40 0.7043

30 0.7041
Ce/Pb=25±5

87Sr/86Sr
Ce/Pb 20 0.7039

Nb/U=47±10
10 0.7037

0 0.7035
0 30 60 90 120 4 6 8 10
Nb/U MgO (wt%)
40
0.51294
Afar
MER

143Nd/144Nd
30
Ce/Pb

0.51288

20 0.51282

10 0.51276
4 6 8 10 4 6 8 10
MgO (wt%) MgO (wt%)

Fig. 7. Variations of Ce/Pb vs. Nb/U, and Ce/Pb, 87Sr/86Sr and 143Nd/144Nd vs. MgO of recent axial basalts from Afar and MER. The grey bars denote the range of Ce/Pb and Nb/U in oceanic
basalts (Hofmann et al., 1986).

concentrations higher than 10-times chondritic values which most like- 2011) are presented in Fig. 8. It is evident that variables but overall
ly suggest a mantle source containing spinel rather than garnet. small degrees of partial melting of amphibole bearing spinel lherzolite
Modern basalts from the Ethiopian rift have well-documented can generate the observed variation in La/Yb, but fail to explain the var-
enrichment of Ba and depletion of K and Rb relative to other elements iation in Dy/Yb. Thus, to account for the small range in Dy/Yb ratios
with a similar degree of incompatibility in their primitive mantle- (2.0–2.5) observed in the axial rift samples, melts from garnet-facies
normalised multi-element variation diagram (Fig. 5a). Such enrich-
ments and depletions are thought to be related to amphibole and/or
5
phlogopite in the mantle source (e.g., Ayalew et al., 2006; Furman and
Graham, 1999; Jung et al., 2005, 2012; Mayer et al., 2013, Rooney 4% 3.5%
et al., 2014). According to Rosenthal et al. (2009), the melting of a man- 5%
Amph-grt peridotite melting
tle source containing phlogopite will result in potassic and ultrapotassic
magmas with K2O N Na2O, while magmas with Na2O N K2O, such as ob- 4
Mixing line of 4% melt from
served in the axial basalts, form through melting of amphibole-bearing amph-grt peridotite and 4 %
10%
mantle sources. We therefore suggest that the axial basalts from the melt from amph-sp peridotite
Dy/Yb

Ethiopian rift were derived from melting of amphibole-bearing spinel 80%

3
peridotite sources.
Amphibole is not stable at temperatures of the convecting upper 60%
mantle or upwelling thermal plumes from the deep mantle; however, Amph-sp peridotite melting
it is stable at pressure–temperature conditions of the lithospheric man-
2
tle (up to 3 GPa and 1050–1150 °C, Class and Goldstein, 1997; Mayer 5% 4% 3% 2.5% 2% Afar
et al., 2014). The identification of amphibole in the source region is a 10% MER
strong evidence for lithospheric melting and hence we conclude that MER (Furman
et al. 2006)
the modern rift basalts formed by melting of the lithospheric mantle. 1
Ferrando et al. (2008) and Ayalew et al. (2009) describe mantle xeno- 0 20 40 60
liths from adjacent plateau that contain amphibole (pargasite), strongly La/Yb
supporting this argument. The presence of hydrous phases lowers the
solidus temperature of the lithospheric mantle making it susceptible Fig. 8. La/Yb vs. Dy/Yb for axial basalts from Afar and MER. Partial melting curves
to melting at lower temperatures. are calculated using a non-modal batch melting model (Shaw, 1970). Sources are
amphibole-garnet and -spinel lherzolites (garnet lherzolite: 0.58 Ol, 0.15 Opx, 0.20 Cpx,
The modelling of the upper mantle partial melting processes can be
0.02 Gt, 0.05 amph that melts in the proportion 0.10 Ol, 0.20 Opx, 0.40 Cpx, 0.10 Gt, 0.20
illustrated using the plots of La/Yb vs. Dy/Yb ratios; such plots can also amph and spinel lherzolite: 0.58 Ol, 0.15 Opx, 0.20 Cpx, 0.02 sp, 0.05 amph that melts in
distinguish between melting in the spinel and garnet stability fields the proportion 0.10 Ol, 0.20 Opx, 0.40 Cpx, 0.10 sp, 0.20 amph; adopted from Jung et al.,
(e.g., Jung et al., 2012; Mayer et al., 2013; Thirlwall et al., 1994). An 2012). The straight line indicate mixing between melt fractions from garnet-facies
additional benefit of such plots is that mixing of melts from distinct mantle and melt fractions from spinel-facies mantle. Adjusted source composition
(La 2·7 ppm,Yb 0·19 ppm, Dy 0·45 ppm) is within the range of peridotite xenolith from
sources produces linear mixing arrays. Results of non-modal fractional Mega, southern Ethiopia (Beccaluva et al., 2011). Mineral-melt distribution coefficients
melting calculations using the composition and modal mineralogy of were adopted from Jung et al. (2012). Numbers on model curves indicate the percent
mantle xenoliths sampled beneath the southern MER (Beccaluva et al., melting and mixing.
 D. Ayalew et al. / Lithos 258–259 (2016) 1–14 9

mantle (3%–4%) and spinel-facies mantle (4%–5%) have to mix. The MER 5.4. Mantle source characteristics
samples include 0%–40% melt from the garnet-facies mantle, whereas
the Afar lavas have 0%–20% melt fraction from the garnet-facies mantle. The variations of trace element and isotopic compositions of nearly
A small proportion of melt from garnet-facies mantle in the axial rift all basalts from Afar and MER indicate little or no contamination by
suite is consistent with a model of melt generation in response to litho- crustal material and hence the chemical and Sr, Nd, Hf and Pb isotopic
spheric extension that allows for ascent of deeper mantle to low compositions of these rocks reflect the composition of their mantle
pressure. source(s). Ratios of certain trace elements (e.g., Ce/Pb vs. Nb/U; Fig. 7),
Attempts to estimate the temperatures and pressures of melting considered as tracer of mantle sources, plot within the field of mantle-
have been made by employing the compositions of basalts and relate derived basalts as observed in those of oceanic island and mid oceanic
them to the temperatures and pressures of magma generation (Lee ridge basalt. However, none of the lavas exhibit trace element and
et al., 2009). Using this calibration yielded potential temperatures isotope signatures typical of a depleted mantle material like depletion
ranging from 1122 to 1158 °C and pressures between 0.91 and in incompatible trace elements and elevated Nd isotopic ratios as
1.05 GPa for the Afar axial rift basalts and 1125 to 1200 °C and 1.01 shown in MORB. This suggests that these basalts most likely originated
and 1.24 GPa for the MER basalts. The temperatures and pressures of from an OIB-like mantle source.
the magmas plot within the stability field of spinel peridotite falling The most obvious feature of basalts from the modern axial Ethiopian
systematically above the stability curve for pargasitic amphibole accord- rift is the existence of positive Ba and negative Rb and K anomalies
ing to Green et al. (2010) but below the stability of amphibole after in their primitive mantle-normalised multi-element variation dia-
Huckenholz and Gilbert (1984) (Fig. 9). Therefore, the P–T estimates grams (Fig. 5a). These geochemical features resulted from melting
suggest the generation of the parental magmas of the rift basalts from of amphibole-bearing sources. While amphibole is not stable in the
a predominantly spinel peridotite source that contained small propor- sub-lithospheric mantle source (i.e., asthenosphere or mantle plume),
tions of amphibole This interpretation is compatible with the trace it may exist in the lithospheric mantle (Class and Goldstein, 1997).
element data; all axial rift lavas are enriched in Ba with depletion in Based on the isotopic compositions (Fig. 10), the axial basalts cannot
Rb and K, indicating the importance of amphibole melting in their exclusively be derived from the sub-continental lithospheric mantle
mantle source region. characterised by less radiogenic Sr and more radiogenic Nd isotopic
The suggestion that non-exposed precursor magmas beneath the compositions compared to the investigated basalts (Baker et al., 2002;
MER and Afar are likely generated at greater depth is supported by the Beccaluva et al., 2011). There is also a broad overlap between litho-
work of Furman et al. (2006) who inferred that primitive recent spheric mantle and axial basalts in terms of their Pb isotopic ratios
Ethiopian rift basalts can be derived by melting of fertile spinel perido- (Baker et al., 2002; Beccaluva et al., 2011; Meshesha et al., 2011). The
tite at pressures of ca. 30 kbar corresponding to a depth of 90–100 km range of Sr, Nd, Hf and Pb isotope ratios of young rift basalts from Afar
which is significantly greater than the present estimate and the and MER (Fig. 10) can be reconciled with the presence of an EM I mantle
present-day lithosphere thickness. This estimate is similar to the equil- component that plots somewhere between the depleted mantle (DM)
ibration pressures obtained on mantle xenoliths (35–55 km) from the and the high μ mantle (HIMU) sources. The input from DM and HIMU
off-rift Quaternary Debre Zeyt volcanic field (Rooney et al., 2005). An sources becomes more apparent in Afar than in MER lavas, which is con-
important implication of our proposed depth and pressure of melting sistent with the proto-oceanic crust beneath Afar. The chemical and iso-
(Figs. 8, 9) is that the lithosphere beneath the MER has undergone sig- topic signatures may be obtained from the melting of a veined
nificant extension prior to rifting. lithospheric mantle (e.g., Pilet et al., 2008, 2010). Melting is enhanced

0
va

Tp=1200 C

Tp=1300 C

Tp=1400 C

Tp=1500 C
po

Afar
MER
r-s u

MER (Furman
et al. 2006)
Pargasite stability
atu

o
rat

MOHO Peridotite (Hirschmann, 2000)

1 ~30
ed s oli du s
Pressure (GPa)

Grt-pyroxenite
Depth (km)

(Kogiso et al., 2003)

Amp
hibo

2 Spin ~60
le st

el lh
erzo
CO

Dr

lite
abilit

ys
2 -sat

Gar
ne
oli

t lhe
y

rzoli
d

Litho- te
us
u r ated solidu

sphere
boundary
3 ~90
s

800 1000 1200 1400 1600

Temperature (oC)

Fig. 9. Pressure–temperature diagram to illustrate the potential source region of the modern axial rift basalts from Afar and MER (adopted from Jung et al., 2012). It should be noted that,
based on geochemical arguments discussed in the text (presence of restitic amphibole, predominance of melts from spinel peridotite), these temperature and pressure estimates must be
viewed as minimum estimates.
10 D. Ayalew et al. / Lithos 258–259 (2016) 1–14

0.706

EM I
0.705
0.706
a

87Sr/86Sr
EMII
0.704
EMI Afar
0.703
plume
HIMU
0.705 High-Ti Oligocene
DM
MER flood basalts 0.702
17.0 18.0 19.0 20.0 21.0
Turkana 206Pb/204Pb
87Sr/86Sr

0.704 shield basalts

Afar
Red Sea and NE-Africa
Gulf of Aden magmatic rocks
0.703
HIMU

DM
Afar plume

0.702
17.0 18.0 19.0 20.0 21.0
206Pb/204Pb

0.5134

DM

143Nd/144Nd
0.5130
HIMU
Afar
plume
0.5134 0.5126
b
DM EM I
0.5122
Red Sea and 17.0 18.0 19.0 20.0 21.0
Gulf of Aden 206Pb/204Pb
Turkana
0.5130 Afar
HIMU
High-Ti Oligocene
143Nd/144Nd

flood basalts

NE-Africa
MER Shield basalts magmatic rocks
0.5126
Afar plume EMII
Afar
MER
EMI
MER(Furma n
et al. 2006)
0.5122
17.0 18.0 19.0 20.0 21.0
206Pb/204Pb

Fig. 10. (a) 87Sr/86Sr vs. 206Pb/204Pb and (b) 143Nd/144Nd vs. 206Pb/204Pb for the axial rift basalts to illustrate that the distribution of the isotopes require a mixture of a lithospheric mantle
component with a component that itself originated by mixing of the depleted asthenosphere and a plume source (Afar Plume).

by higher temperatures in upwelling plume material, as well as the me-
chanical and, possibly, advective thinning in this rift zone (e.g., Rychert
et al., 2012a,b). In such a scenario, veins with EM signatures are hosted
by the lithospheric mantle with a DM signature. In the course of pro-
gressive rifting and associated lithospheric thinning, the vein material,
because of its non-peridotitic composition and hence lower solidus
temperature, melts more easily and later induces melting of the sur-
rounding depleted mantle to variable extent. This melting scenario re-
sults in variable mixtures depending on the relative proportion of vein
material and host material and the mass balance of the elements from
the two reservoirs. The signature of veined material is observed in the
trace element characteristics (i.e., negative anomalies in Rb and
K) because of the contrasting trace element content of a common de-
pleted mantle or asthenospheric mantle and in the veined lithospheric
mantle. In terms of isotopic composition, the signature of the veined
mantle is not distinctive due to short residence times of the vein mate-
rial in the lithospheric mantle and both host mantle and infiltrated vein
material do not have isotopically extreme compositions. It is therefore
suggested that the melting of metasomatically enriched, amphibole-
veined, depleted lithospheric mantle provides a viable mechanism for
generating the combined chemical and isotopic signatures of the Afar
and MER axial basalts.
The origin of the metasomatic agent that modified the lithospheric
mantle is not well constrained. The vein material could have distinct
origins, including material from previous subduction of oceanic crust
or upwelling mantle material from ascending mantle plumes. There
are at least two events that may have delivered the metasomatic
component in the lithospheric mantle in this region. The first one is an
ancient enrichement that occurred during the Pan-African orogeny
including subduction of oceanic crust and arc-derived sedimentary
material at about 550 to 900 Ma ago (i.e., Wolde, 1996) explaining the
range in isotopic compositions of the axial basalts. Wolde (1996) sug-
gested that this signature is now inherited in the lithospheric mantle
and likely dates back from the Pan-African subduction. However, this
 D. Ayalew et al. / Lithos 258–259 (2016) 1–14 11

MER
type of mantle enrichment should result in negative or at least less pos-

Kone
itive Nb and strong positive Rb, Sr, Pb and K anomalies in primitive

Gedemsa

Fantale
20 Afar
mantle-normalised diagrams and also in low Ce/Pb and low Nb/U ratios;

Dofan
features that are characteristic for subduction zone material. On the

Bosetti
15

La/Yb

Hertali
other hand, in the axial rift lavas we see positive Nb peaks, Rb and K

Ayelu
10
troughs and Ce/Pb and Nb/U ratios that are characteristic for mantle
5
material unmodified by a subduction zone component. The high
3
He/4He ratios of some basalts from the area (Halldórsson et al., 2014) 0
8.0 8.4 8.8 9.2 9.6 10.0
have been used as an argument for the presence of unmodified material
at depth. It should be noted, however, that rocks beneath NE Africa 0.70440
predominantly have 3He/4He ratios typically found in tholeitic rocks

Sr/86Sr
derived from a depleted asthenospheric source (Sgualdo et al., 2015)
and that metasomatism of the lithospheric mantle may uncouple the 0.70380

87
He isotope signature from other elements and isotope systems, inducing
plume or crustal signatures depending on the source of the metasomatic 0.70320
8.0 8.4 8.8 9.2 9.6 10.0
agent (e.g., Barry et al., 2013, 2015).
The second one is the impingement of a plume, which is ca. 30 Ma
older than the age of volcanism. If the plume material delivers the meta- 0.51295

Nd/144Nd
somatic component to the lithosphere, no isotopic difference between
the metasomes and the plume component will be apparent due to the 0.51285
short residence time between impingement and volcanism. This type

143
of enrichment is compatible with both, trace element and isotope
0.51275
data, and indicates that the axial rift lavas have a distinct OIB signature. 8.0 8.4 8.8 9.2 9.6 10.0
It is emphasised here that the observed OIB signature does not imply the
0.28320
existence of a chemical or physical plume but reflects only the presence
Hf/177Hf
of a component located deeper than the subcontinental lithospheric
mantle. In addition basalts from adjacent plateaus, i.e., the 24 Ma old 0.28310
shield basalts, show isotope systematics that also suggest enriched
176

mantle sources. Here, Rooney et al. (2014) also suggested that the vein- 0.28300
ing of the lithosphere may have happened somewhat earlier than the
extraction of the rift melts.
8.0 8.4 8.8 9.2 9.6 10.0
5.5. Regional source signatures
Pb/204Pb

19.2
Chemical and isotopic variations of rift basalts erupted on Afar and
18.8
MER define distinct fields though there are some overlaps. There is a
206

progressive transition from continental to oceanic rifting from MER 18.4

towards Afar, reflecting that continental break up started in Afar where-
as rifting is less advanced in MER. Plots of trace element and isotopic
ratios as a function of latitude are shown in Fig. 11. La/Yb of Afar and
MER basalts appear to increase from NE to SW (i.e., going from Afar
towards MER), suggesting either a decrease in the degree of melting
in the same direction, a change in the composition of the mantle source
or both. Considering that the lithospheric thickness increases from Afar
towards the MER (Hayward and Ebinger, 1996), higher La/Yb ratios
indicate lower degrees of melting and hence the deeper melting depths
in the MER in comparison to Afar, which in turn provides an explanation
why Afar lavas record melting of a slightly different source region
than MER rocks. A plot of latitude vs. isotopic composition of the basalts
(Fig. 11) reveals that 143Nd/144Nd, 176Hf/177Hf, 87Sr/86Sr and 206Pb/204Pb
differ systematically between individual volcanic centres. It appears,
however, that samples from Afar were derived from a source more
depleted than the source that produced the MER basalts, according to
their higher 143Nd/144Nd ratios, higher 176Hf/177Hf ratios and lower
87
Sr/86Sr ratios.
As shown in Fig. 11, samples from the Hertali (location shown in
Figs. 1 and 11) magmatic field display a variation in 206Pb/204Pb without
associated changes in La/Yb, 87Sr/86Sr, 143Nd/144Nd and 176Hf/177Hf. This
variation is probably a consequence of evolution of the composition of
the mantle source with respect to Pb without associated changes in
La/Yb, 87Sr/86Sr, 143Nd/144Nd and 176Hf/177Hf. On the other hand, lavas
from Dofan exhibit a large variation in 176Hf/177Hf and 143Nd/144Nd,
but have nearly identical La/Yb and 87Sr/86Sr ratios. It is important to
note that Pb isotopic compositions vary widely among the rift lavas
and do not vary together with other element and isotope ratios, pre-
sumably indicating that Pb is located mostly in the vein-derived melt
8.0 8.4 8.8 9.2 9.6 10.0
Latitude in degree
Fig. 11. Variations of latitude vs. trace element and isotopic ratios of axial basalts
from Afar and MER. The isotopic compositions of the axial basalts indicate that the
magmas originated from a lithospheric source with varying contributions from various
asthenospheric mantle components. An input from a HIMU (‘C’) source is more
apparent in lavas erupted on Afar, compatible with the presence of proto-oceanic crust
in this area.
which causes different Pb isotope characteristics (from less radiogenic
to slightly more radiogenic). The Pb isotopic characteristics require a
long-term evolution of a lithospheric component created during a
Neoproterozoic subduction event associated with the Pan-African orog-
eny. Note that the occurrence of vein-derived melts in the mantle is
likely connected with mantle metasomatism and there is also a strong
link between mantle metasomatism and highly variable composition
of hydrous minerals, i.e., phlogopite or amphibole (Rosenbaum, 1993;
Mayer et al., 2013). It is also important to note that for the lavas from
MER and the Afar field, the slope of 207Pb/204Pb at a given 206Pb/204Pb
decreases with increasing 206Pb/204Pb which is in contrast to many
arc lavas where the 207Pb/204Pb at a given 206Pb/204Pb increase with
increasing 206Pb/204Pb.
The Main Ethiopian Rift is ca. 18 Myr younger than the Red Sea and
Gulf of Aden rifts and the mantle lithosphere is probably less modified
by plume and stretching-related magmatism (Wolfenden et al., 2004).
It has been suggested that the diversity in trace element and isotopic
composition of the MER magmas is related to the involvement of
one (e.g., Ebinger and Sleep, 1988) or several plume(s) (e.g., Rogers,
12 D. Ayalew et al. / Lithos 258–259 (2016) 1–14
2006) although the significance of a mantle plume has recently been
questioned (Rychert et al., 2012a,b). In addition, the depleted upper
mantle and the continental lithosphere (Barrat et al., 1998; Trua et al.,
1999; Rogers et al., 2000; Furman et al., 2006, Furman, 2007, Rooney
et al., 2012) played a role in magma generation. Thus, it is reasonable
to assume that the complex isotope composition may be the result of
mixing processes between these various endmembers. Schilling et al.
(1992) defined three mantle endmembers namely the Afar mantle
plume, the Pan-African continental lithosphere and the depleted
asthenospheric upper mantle. Analyses of oceanic basalts have led to
the long-prevailing view that the Earth's mantle consists of a restricted
number of large-scale reservoirs: a depleted mantle and about 3–4
enriched reservoirs that mix to produce the isotopic variability observed
in oceanic basalts (see Stracke, 2012 for a review). On the other hand,
for continental rift basalts it is difficult to distinguish melts from the
deep mantle containing recycled lithosphere from shallower melting
involving old subcontinental lithosphere (Rooney et al., 2012). Hence,
it is often impossible to define a unique source for those basalts.
As pointed out correctly by Rooney et al. (2012), the source of the
MER basalts cannot be solely within the subcontinental lithosphere
and at least three endmember components are required to account for
the Nd, Sr, Pb and Hf isotopic variation. The samples studied here have
low 206Pb/204Pb ratios (max. 19.4) which are lower than the character-
istic HIMU value (206Pb/204Pb N20; Zindler & Hart, 1986). This implies
an Afar plume composition similar to ‘C’, the ‘common’ isotopic compo-
sition observed in oceanic basalts (Hanan and Graham, 1996; Rooney
et al., 2012). Considering the three-component mixing, the MER data
require that the other two endmembers have low 206Pb/204Pb ratios.
In addition, Rooney et al. (2012) have shown that one of these two
remaining endmembers must have relatively higher 207Pb/204Pb ratios
than the other, compatible with aged Pan-African continental litho-
sphere. That aged Pan-African continental lithosphere plays an impor-
tant role here has also been considered elsewhere (Rooney, 2010) and
is supported by radiogenic 87Sr/86Sr and unradiogenic 143Nd/144Nd
and 176Hf/177Hf ratios of the basalts (Fig. 10). Rooney et al. (2012) pre-
sented a multi-isotope modelling that indicates mixtures of depleted
mantle material (asthenosphere) of about 49%–80% with material
from the Afar plume (10%–43%) and the Pan-African lithosphere (6%–
17%). These estimates seem to be broadly compatible with the relative
proportions of the involved endmembers presented in Fig. 10 (inset).
However, the more sophisticated principal component modelling of
Rooney et al. (2012) also indicated that a two-stage mixing scenario
must be considered. In this model, the first stage involves mixing of
asthenospheric mantle and continental lithosphere, followed by a
second stage during which this hybrid upper mantle mixes with the
Afar plume. This scenario, however, is incompatible with the data pre-
sented in Fig. 10a (inset) because the data array does not plot along
any hypothetical mixing line between a hybrid DM-EM source and the
Afar plume source. In 143Nd/144Nd–206Pb/204Pb two-dimensional space
(Fig. 10b; inset) a similar distribution of data is observed. Only the
Afar data obtained during this study would follow the predicted
model of Rooney et al. (2012). We therefore extend and modify the
existing models by suggesting that during evolution of the rift, the
impinging Afar plume infiltrates the overlying depleted asthenosphere
creating a polluted mixed source here. Upon further movement of the
plume, the overlying lithosphere is weakened and probably detached
and portions of the polluted asthenospheric source are admixed with
lithospheric material. This model would also explain why melting prob-
ably occured somewhat shallower at 10–15 kbar instead of melting at
ca. 30 kbar (Furman et al., 2006). This melting regime is located within
the stabilitiy field of spinel peridotite. Note that Furman et al. (2006)
invoked a fertile peridotite source which is essentially similar to our
metasomatised (=re-fertilised) mantle source; a source that is request-
ed by the isotope data that imply ancient depletion events but recent
trace element enrichment. Effects of mantle metasomatism are appar-
ent by the inferred presence of residual amphibole and enrichment of
incompatible trace elements (Rooney et al., 2005; Furman, 2007; this
study; Fig. 9). One reason for the lack of consensus between the various
models is that Pb isotope compositions vary widely among Ethiopian rift
lavas and tend not to correlate well with Sr–Nd systematics (Furman
et al., 2006).
6. Conclusions
Modern Ethiopian rift basalts were derived from melting of
amphibole-bearing spinel peridotite at pressures between 0.91 and
1.05 GPa for Afar lavas and 1.01 and 1.24 GPa for MER basalts, with as-
sociated depths of melting of 27–31 km and 30–37 km, respectively.
This is consistent with the present-day thickness of the underlying lith-
osphere (at most 50 km) inferred on the basis of mantle tomography
(e.g., Bastow et al., 2005) and from mantle xenolith data (Rooney
et al., 2005). The basalts were derived through melting of veined litho-
spheric sources in response to mantle upwelling, progressive rifting
and associated lithospheric thinning. This is apparent from the compo-
sitional data for the axial basalts that indicate contrasting trace element
contents of the host lithospheric mantle and enclosed enriched veins.
The isotopic signature of the mixed mantle source is not very distinctive
due to short residence times of the vein material and to the absence of
extreme isotopic difference between host mantle and enclosed vein
material. Crustal assimilation appears to be negligible throughout the
rift. The chemical and isotopic variations observed along rift basalts
can either be explained by variable extent of melting or regional source
differences due to the differences in the preceeding history.
Supplementary data to this article can be found online at http://dx.
doi.org/10.1016/j.lithos.2016.04.001.
Acknowledgements
Funding has been provided by the Alexander von Humboldt Founda-
tion through a research fellowship for experienced researchers grant
to Dereje Ayalew. We thank U. Westernströer for the assistance with
ICP-MS measurements at U Kiel, Heidi Bayer (U Münster) for the help
in the isotope laboratory. Barbara Seth is thanked for measuring
the ETH samples at Royal Holloway, University of London. Lothar
Ratschbacher is thanked for the financial and logistic support during
fieldwork and sampling. Positive and constructive reviews by Paterno
R. Castillo and Cindy Ebinger and editorial handling by Sun-Lin Chung
helped to improve this article.
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