Origin of Arc Basalt Magmas, and its Bearing on Thermal Structure of the Upper Mantle beneath Volcanic Arcs

Abstract

The compositions of the primary tholeiitic, high-alumina and alkali-olivine basalt magmas (THB, HAB and AOB magmas, respectively) which are derived directly from the upper mantle beneath the volcanic arcs, are obtained by calculating the average compositions of liquid in equilibrium with the mantle peridotite, which can produce basalts in NE Japan arc through olivine maximum fractionation. Anhydrous high-pressure melting experiments on these three basalts indicate that the AOB and HAB magmas coexist with olivine, orthopyroxene and clinopyroxene at 1360℃ and 17.5 kbar and at 1340℃ and 15 kbar, respectively. The THB magma, on the other hand, coexists with olivine and orthopyroxene at 1320℃ and 11 kbar. The volcanic arc magmas are believed to contain significant amounts of water which affect the P-T conditions of the phase equilibria at high temperatures and pressures. However, the detailed petrographic studies on the rock suites in volcanic arcs revealed that the island arc primary basalt magmas contain water not more than 3 wt.% at generation in the upper mantle. Combining this with the experimental results, the THB, HAB and AOB magmas are suggested to segregate from the mantle at temperatures of about 1300℃ and at pressures of 11 kbar (THB), 16 kbar (HAB) and 20 kbar (AOB), respectively. As the temperatures of segregation of the magmas given above are too high for a stable mantle geotherm, the mantle diapir is the most probable mechanism for magma generation under the volcanic arcs. Due to the heat of formation of liquid in the diapir, the temperature of the diapiric mantle must be higher at deeper levels. The required temperature of the upper mantle is 1400℃ at a certain depth between the descending slab and depth of approximately 70km.