Effects of the Hydrous Domain in the Mantle Wedge on Magma Formation and Mixing at the Northeast Lau Spreading Center, SW Pacific

• Published in: Geochemistry, geophysics, geosystems : G3 Vol. 23; no. 3
• Main Authors: Haase, K. M., Schoenhofen, M. V., Storch, B., Beier, C., Regelous, M., Rubin, K., Brandl, P. A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington John Wiley & Sons, Inc 01-03-2022; Wiley
• Subjects: back‐arc spreading; Basalt; Chemical analysis; Composition; Decompression; Earth mantle; Fertility; Fluids; Geochemistry; Inflow; Island arcs; Isotopes; Lau Basin; Lava; lithosphere rifting; Magma; Mantle plumes; Melting; Oceanic crust; Plates; Seamount chains; Seamounts; slab component; Spreading centres; Subduction; Subduction zones; Tofua island arc; Upper mantle; Viscosity; Volcanic activity; Volcanic eruptions; Volcanism; Volcanoes; Samoa
• ISSN: 1525-2027; 1525-2027
• DOI: 10.1029/2021GC010066

Abundant volcanic activity occurs in the back‐arc region of the northern Tofua island arc where the Northeast Lau Spreading Center (NELSC) propagates southwards into older crust causing the formation of numerous seamounts at the propagating rift tip. An off‐axis volcanic diagonal ridge (DR) occurs at the eastern flank of the NELSC, linking the large rear‐arc volcano Niuatahi with the NELSC. New geochemical data from the NELSC, the southern propagator seamounts, and DR reveal that the NELSC lavas are tholeiitic basalts whereas the rear‐arc volcanoes typically erupt lavas with boninitic composition. The sharp geochemical boundary probably reflects the viscosity contrast between off‐axis hydrous harzburgitic mantle and dry fertile mantle beneath the NELSC. The new data do not indicate an inflow of Samoa plume mantle into the NELSC, confirming previously published He isotope data. The NELSC magmas form by mixing of an enriched and a depleted Indian Ocean‐type upper mantle end‐member implying a highly heterogeneous upper mantle composition in this area. Most NELSC lavas are little affected by a slab component implying that melting is adiabatic beneath the spreading center. The DR lavas show the influence of a component from the subducted Louisville Seamount Chain, which was previously thought to be restricted to the nearby arc volcanoes Niuatoputapu and Tafahi. This signature is rarely detected along the NELSC implying little mixing of melts from the low‐viscosity hydrous portion of the mantle wedge beneath the rear‐arc volcanoes into the melting region of the dry mantle beneath the NELSC.
Plain Language Summary
Volcanic activity is abundant at subduction zones and the chemical analysis of the erupted rocks allows to determine the material transport in the Earth's mantle. The Northeast Lau Spreading Center (NELSC) forms by extension and volcanism behind the northern Tofua island arc. Several large volcanic structures occur east of the NELSC and the lavas of these off‐axis volcanoes are chemically and isotopically distinct implying little mixing with the magmas of the NELSC. The differences suggest decompression melting of relatively dry mantle beneath the NELSC whereas the off‐axis volcanoes reflect melting of water‐rich mantle affected by fluids from the subducting Pacific Plate. The sharp geochemical boundary between the NELSC and off‐axis volcanoes is probably due to a large viscosity contrast between hydrous harzburgitic mantle and dry fertile mantle. Element and isotope ratios indicate that the NELSC magmas form by mixing of enriched and depleted portions of the upper mantle, and we do not find evidence for inflow of the Samoa deep mantle plume from the north. Some of the off‐axis lavas contain a component from a volcanic chain that was subducted some 4 million years ago and that was previously only known in two volcanoes of the Tofua island arc.
Key Points
Variably enriched mantle sources melt beneath the Northeast Lau Spreading Center (NELSC) but there is no evidence for Samoa mantle plume inflow
Relatively dry fertile mantle beneath NELSC causes sharp geochemical boundary with hydrous harzburgitic North Tonga mantle wedge
Subducted Louisville Seamount Chain material affects rear‐arc volcanism