Noble Gas Isotopic Signatures of the Pacific Lithosphere: Insights from Petit-Spot Mantle Xenoliths

Abstract

Petit-spot volcanoes are unique sites that yield mantle xenoliths outside of typical settings such as mid-ocean ridges (plate boundaries) or oceanic islands formed above mantle plumes. These xenoliths have the potential to provide new insights into the lithospheric mantle of oceanic plates. In this study, we analyzed noble gas isotopic ratios and abundances in xenolith samples collected from a petit-spot in the northwestern Pacific. The analysis was conducted using a stepwise crushing method under vacuum with a hydraulic crusher connected to a noble gas mass spectrometer