Magmatism at

mantle plume and

hot spot
Introduction
Introduction

 Burke & Wilson (1976) have identified a global pattern of

122 hot spots, active during the past 10 Ma, within
oceanic and continental plates. There are 53 oceanic
hot spots which have located near by the mid oceanic
ridges.
 When a hot spot located on an actively spreading ridge,
chains of extinct volcanic island and seamounts are
formed both side of the ridge, extending away from the
hot spot.
 If a continental plate comes to rest over a hot spot the
upwelling may eventually rupture the continental
lithosphere and initiate the formation of a new ocean
basin. E.g. Gondwanaland supercontinent fractured
along the line of Mid Atlantic Ridge at the age of 120 Ma.
Introduction
Introduction

 As we know that two extreme types of basalt are

erupted along mid-oceanic ridges:
 1. Normal (N-Type). LREE and incompatible elements
depleted. High K/Ba, K/Rb, Zr/Nb and low isotopic ratios
of 87Sr/86Sr.
 Plume (P-Type). Less depleted than N-type in LREE and
incompatible elements with higher isotopic ratios of
87Sr/86Sr. K/Ba, K/Rb, La/Ce and Zr/Nb ratios are lower
than those N-type MORB and comparable to those of
oceanic island tholeiites.
 N-Type MORB are considered to be derived from a
depleted asthonespheric upper mantle source.
 P-Type MORB are derived from a more enriched plume
or hotspot component.
Introduction
Introduction
Introduction

 On slow spreading ridges (e.g. Mid Atlantic Ridge) the

hotspot signature are clearly visible in both bathymetry
and geochemical characteristics.
 Introduction

 On fast spreading ridges (East Pacific Rise) the signatures

may be diluted by the rapid supply of asthenospheric
material.
Migration of a MOR axis away from hotspot

 If the ridge axis subsequently drifts away from the

hotspot then the rising plume tends develop a
preferential non radial flow towards migrating ridge axis.
 Eventually with continued migration of the ridge axis,
plume supply will be cut off and will cease to influence
axial magmatic processes.
Hawaii island
Direction of plate motion- Hawaii island
Concept
Concept
Concept
Evidence for Mantle Plumes
Evidence for Mantle Plumes
Characteristics of Hotspot and Plumes
Characteristics of Hotspot and Plumes
Characteristics of Hotspot and Plumes
Characteristics of Hotspot and Plumes
Shape and size of Mantle Plumes
Origin of Plumes
Origin of Plumes
The Evolution of Mantle plumes
The Evolution of Mantle plumes
Petrogenetic model
Petrogenetic model

 The magmas erupted in oceanic islands and seamounts

belong to calc-alkaline and tholeiitic magma series. The
trace elements and isotope geochemical characteristics
are clearly different from the MORB.
 The chemical composition of primary basaltic magma
generated within the rising mantle plume/hot spot will
depend upon a variety of factors including
The composition and mineralogy of the source mantle
The degree of partial melting and mechanism of partial
melting
The depth of segregation of the magma
Petrogenetic model

 Source : The geochemical characteristics of OIB indicate

that they are partial melts of multicomponent sources
involving near primordial mantle, ancient recycled
oceanic crust (basalt + sediments), depleted
asthenosphere (MORB source mantle), depleted
oceanic lithosphere and recycled subcontinent
lithosphere.
 Degrees of partial melting: Tholeiitic OIB generated by
comparable degrees of partial melting to MORB (20-
30%), whereas alkalic OIB may represent smaller
degrees of melting (5-15%), possible at greater depth.
 Depth: the geochemical characteristics of all primary
magmas are largely derived from their last point of
equilibration with their mantle source- at the depth of
segregation around 100 km.
Summary

 A plume is a bottom-heated convective upwelling that

rises through its own thermal buoyancy.
 Plumes were invented based on following specific
information
Excess volcanism
Hot spot fixed relative to one another
Linear island chain
 Evolution of Hawaiian volcanoes is consistent with a
thermally zoned plume. This in itself requires that the
mantle source is hotter than the surrounding mantle.
 Temperatures of Hawaiian primary magmas are hotter
than MORB primary magmas.