Search results for "Volcanic Arc"

Understanding volcanoes in the Vanuatu arc

2016

We report the first helium isotope survey of volcanic gases, hot springs and some olivine phenocrysts along the Vanuatu island arc, from Tanna in the south to Vanua Lava in the north. Low CO2 content and low He-3/He-4 ratios in thermal fluids of Epi (4.0 +/- 0.1 R-a), Efate (4.5 +/- 0.1 R-a) and Pentecost (5.3 +/- 0.5 R-a) islands coherently indicate reduced mantle gas leakage and crustal contamination by radiogenic helium on these extinct volcanic systems of the former (Pliocene) arc. Instead, presently active Vanuatu volcanoes display He-3/He-4 and C/He-3 ratios typical of subduction-related volcanic arcs: He-3/He-4 ratios range from 6.4 +/- 0.5 Ra in southernmost Tanna and 7.23 +/- 0.09 …

The metamorphic rocks of the Nunatak Viedma in the Southern Patagonian Andes: Provenance sources and implications for the early Mesozoic Patagonia-An…

2019

The Nunatak Viedma within the Southern Patagonian Icefield has been considered as a volcanic center based on its geomorphologic features, despite the fact that field explorations by Eric Shipton determined its metamorphic nature 70 years ago. We carried out fieldwork to characterize this isolated outcrop and performed the first U-Pb dating in detrital zircons from the basement rocks located inside the Southern Patagonian Icefield. We recognized very-low grade metamorphic rocks, corresponding principally to metapelites and metapsammites, and scarce metabasites. Detrital zircons in three metapsammitic samples (composite group of 240 grains) yielded prominent age population peaks at ∼1090, ∼96…

Constraints on mantle source and interactions due to He-Ar isotope variations in Marsili seamount and eastern Aeolian Volcanic Arc (Panarea and Strom…

2011

Geochemistry and early Palaeogene SHRIMP zircon ages for island arc granitoids of the Sierra Maestra, southeastern Cuba

2004

The Palaeogene volcanic arc successions of the Sierra Maestra, southeastern Cuba, were intruded by calc-alkaline, low- to medium-K tonalites and trondhjemites during the final stages of subduction and subsequent collision of the Caribbean oceanic plate with the North American continental plate. U‐Pb SHRIMP zircon dating of five granitoids yielded 206 Pb/ 238 U emplacement ages between 60.5F2.2 and 48.3F0.5 Ma. The granitoids are the result of subduction-related magmatism and have geochemical characteristics similar to those of magmas from intra-oceanic island-arcs such as the Izu Bonin‐Mariana arc and the New Britain island arc, Lesser Antilles. Major and trace element patterns suggest evol…

Devonian to Permian plate tectonic cycle of the Paleo-Tethys Orogen in southwest China (II): Insights from zircon ages of ophiolites, arc/back-arc as…

2009

Abstract New SHRIMP zircon ages for ophiolites, arc/back-arc assemblages and within-plate igneous rocks constrain the evolution of the Paleo-Tethys Orogen of southwest China. Ophiolites represent remnants of the Paleo-Tethys ocean, which was divided by the Simao terrane into two tracts, the main ocean in the west (current position) and a branch in the east. The main ocean has been inferred to originate from Gondwana break-up in the Early Devonian, and the heritage is preserved as the Changning-Menglian ophiolite (SSZ-type). The oceanic branch is represented by the Ailaoshan (NMORB-type)–Jinshajinag (EMORB-type) ophiolites. Zircons from a diabase and a plagiogranite of the Ailaoshan ophiolit…

New insights of the volcanic gas signature of the Central American Volcanic Arc

Volcanic gas emissions carry crucial information on pre- and syn-eruptive processes, and on behaviour of active volcanic systems. Gas variations arise from replenishment of magma storage zones with mafic magma, from magma ascent and evolution, and from interaction with hydrothermal systems and volcanic lakes. As such, volcanic gases represent “open windows” into genesis and release of volatiles from the Earth’s interior. Volcanic emission measurements allow understanding subsurface magmatic and hydrothermal processes, and contribute to eruption forecasting. Carbon dioxide and sulfur gas represent the most abundant and studied gas species. In particular, CO2, due his fast exsolution during m…

Degassing at the Volcanic/Geothermal System of Kos (Greece): Geochemical Characterization of the Released Gases and CO2 Output Estimation

2019

Forty-five gas samples have been collected from natural gas manifestations at the island of Kos—the majority of which are found underwater along the southern coast of the island. On land, two anomalous degassing areas have been recognized. These areas are mainly characterized by the lack of vegetation and after long dry periods by the presence of sulfate salt efflorescence. Carbon dioxide is the prevailing gas species (ranging from 88 to 99%), while minor amounts of N2 (up to 7.5%) and CH4 (up to 2.1%) are also present. Significant contents of H2 (up to 0.2%) and H2S (up to 0.3%) are found in the on-land manifestations. Only one of the underwater manifestations is generally rich in N2 (up t…

Forearc carbon sink reduces long-term volatile recycling into the mantle

2019

Carbon and other volatiles in the form of gases, fluids or mineral phases are transported from Earth's surface into the mantle at convergent margins, where the oceanic crust subducts beneath the continental crust. The efficiency of this transfer has profound implications for the nature and scale of geochemical heterogeneities in Earth's deep mantle and shallow crustal reservoirs, as well as Earth's oxidation state. However, the proportions of volatiles released from the forearc and backarc are not well constrained compared to fluxes from the volcanic arc front. Here we use helium and carbon isotope data from deeply sourced springs along two cross-arc transects to show that about 91 per cent…

Gas measurements from the Costa Rica–Nicaragua volcanic segment suggest possible along-arc variations in volcanic gas chemistry

2014

Obtaining accurate estimates of the CO2 output from arc volcanism requires a precise understanding of the potential along-arc variations in volcanic gas chemistry, and ultimately of the magmatic gas signature of each individual arc segment. In an attempt to more fully constrain the magmatic gas signature of the Central America Volcanic Arc (CAVA), we present here the results of a volcanic gas survey performed during March and April 2013 at five degassing volcanoes within the Costa Rica-Nicaragua volcanic segment (CNVS). Observations of the volcanic gas plume made with a multicomponent gas analyzer system (Multi-GAS) have allowed characterization of the CO2/SO2-ratio signature of the plumes …

Crustal controls on light noble gas isotope variability along the andean volcanic arc

2021

This study combines new noble gas data from fluid inclusions in minerals from Sabancaya, Ubinas, and El Misti (CVZ, Peru) and Villarica (South Chile, SVZ) with a revised noble gas compilation in the Andes, to identify systematic along arc variations in helium isotope compositions. We find 3He/4He ratios varying from 8.8 RA (Colombia) to 7.4 RA (Ecuador) within the NVZ, and only as high as 6.4 RA in the CVZ (RA is the atmospheric 3He/4He ratio of 1.39 × 10–6). These distinct isotope compositions cannot be explained by variable radiogenic 4He production via slab fluid transport of U and Th in the mantle wedge, since both NVZ and CVZ share similar slab sediment inputs (Th/La ≈ 0.08–0.13). Inst…