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Lecture 12
Island Arc Magmatism
Figure 16.1. Principal subduction zones associated with orogenic volcanism and plutonism. Triangles are on the overriding
plate. PBS = Papuan-Bismarck-Solomon-New Hebrides arc. After Wilson (1989) Igneous Petrogenesis, Allen Unwin/Kluwer.
Subduction Products
Characteristic igneous associations
Complexly
Distinctive patterns of metamorphism
Interrelated
Orogeny and mountain belts
Structure of an Island Arc
Figure 16.2. Schematic cross section through a typical island arc after Gill (1981), Orogenic Andesites
and Plate Tectonics. Springer-Verlag. HFU= heat flow unit (4.2 x 10-6 joules/cm2/sec)
Volcanic Rocks of Island Arcs
Complex tectonic situation and broad spectrum of
volcanic products
High proportion of basaltic andesite and andesite
Most andesites occur in subduction zone settings
Table 16-1. Relative Proportions of Analyzed
Island Arc Volcanic Rock Types
Locality B B-A A D R
2
Mt. Misery, Antilles (lavas) 17 22 49 12 0
Ave. Antilles 2
1
17 ( 42 ) 39 2 Basalts are
Lesser Antilles 71 22 5 ( 3 )
Nicaragua/NW Costa Rica 1
64 33 3 1 0 still very
1
W Panama/SE Costa Rica
Aleutians E of Adak 1
34
55
49
36
16
9
0
0
0
0
common
Aleutians, Adak & W 1
2
18 27 41 14 0 and
Little Sitkin Island, Aleutians 0 78 4 18 0
Ave. Japan (lava, ash falls) 2
14 ( 85 ) 2 0 important!
1
Isu-Bonin/Mariana 47 36 15 1 <1
1
Kuriles 34 38 25 3 <1
2
Talasea, Papua 9 23 55 9 4
1
Scotia 65 33 3 0 0
1
from Kelemen (2003a and personal comunication).
2
after Gill (1981, Table 4.4) B = basalt B-A = basaltic andesite
A = andesite, D = dacite, R = rhyolite
Major Elements and Magma Series
Tholeiitic (MORB, OIT)
Alkaline (OIA)
Calc-Alkaline (~ restricted to SZ)
Figure 16.5. Combined K2O - FeO*/MgO diagram in which the Low-K to High-K series are combined with the tholeiitic vs. calc-
alkaline types, resulting in six andesite series, after Gill (1981) Orogenic Andesites and Plate Tectonics. Springer-Verlag. The
points represent the analyses in the appendix of Gill (1981).
Tholeiitic vs. Calc-alkaline differentiation
Figure 16.7. From Winter (2001) An Introduction to Igneous and Metamorphic Petrology. Prentice Hall.
Calc-alkaline differentiation
Early crystallization of Fe-Ti oxide
Probably related to the high water content of calc-
alkaline magmas in arcs, dissolves high fO2
High PH2O also depresses plagioclase liquidus more
An-rich
As hydrous magma rises, DP plagioclase liquidus
moves to higher T crystallization of considerable An-
rich-SiO2-poor plagioclase
The crystallization of anorthitic plagioclase and low-
silica, high-Fe hornblende may be an alternative
mechanism for the observed calc-alkaline differentiation
trend
Other Trends
Spatial
K-h: low-K tholeiite near trench C-A
alkaline as depth to seismic zone increases
Some along-arc as well
Antilles more alkaline N S
Figure 14.3. Winter (2001) An Introduction to Igneous and Figure 16-11a. MORB-normalized spider diagrams for
Metamorphic Petrology. Prentice Hall. Data from Sun and selected island arc basalts. Using the normalization and
McDonough (1989) In A. D. Saunders and M. J. Norry (eds.), ordering scheme of Pearce (1983) with LIL on the left and
Magmatism in the Ocean Basins. Geol. Soc. London Spec. HFS on the right and compatibility increasing outward from
Publ., 42. pp. 313-345. Ba-Th. Data from BVTP. Composite OIB from Fig 14-3 in
yellow.
Isotopes
New Britain, Marianas, Aleutians, and South Sandwich volcanics
plot within a surprisingly limited range of DM
yellow curves
= mantle flow
Subducted Crust
Yellow paths =
various arc ages
Red paths =
different ages of
subducted slab
Subducted Crust
Debate renewed.
LIL/HFS trace element data underscore the
importance of slab-derived water and a
MORB-like mantle wedge source
Flat HREE pattern argues against a garnet-
bearing (eclogite) source
Modern opinion has swung toward the non-
melted slab for most cases
Mantle Wedge P-T-t Paths
Amphibole-bearing hydrated peridotite should melt at ~ 120 km
Phlogopite-bearing hydrated peridotite should melt at ~ 200 km
second arc behind first?
Figure 16.19. Calculated P-T-t paths for
peridotite in the mantle wedge as it follows paths
similar to the flow lines in Fig 16.15. Included
are dehydration curves for serpentine, talc, Crust and
pargasite, and phlogopite + diopside +
orthopyroxene. Also the P-T-t path range for the Mantle
subducted crust in a mature arc, and the wet and
dry solidi for peridotite. Subducted crust Wedge
dehydrates, and water is transferred to the wedge
(labeled arrows). Areas in which the dehydration
curves are crossed by the P-T-t paths below the
wet solidus for peridotite are stippled and labeled
D for dehydration. Areas in which the
dehydration curves are crossed above the wet
solidus are hatched and labeled M for melting.
Note that although the slab crust usually
dehydrates, the wedge peridotite melts as
pargasite dehydrates (Millhollen et al., 1974)
above the wet solidus. An alternative model
involves dehydration of serpentine chlorite
nearer the wedge tip (lower-case d) with H2O
rising into hotter portions of the wedge (gray
arrow) until H2O-exess solidus is crossed (lower-
case m). A second melting may also occur as
phlogopite dehydrates in the presence of two
pyroxenes (Sudo, 1988). After Peacock (1991),
Tatsumi and Eggins (1995). Winter (2001). An
Introduction to Igneous and Metamorphic
Petrology. Prentice Hall.
Island Arc Petrogenesis