Abstract
THE mid-ocean-ridge basalts (MORBs) from the Indian Ocean are isotopically distinctive. They have higher 87Sr/86Sr, 208Pb/206Pb and 207Pb/206Pb ratios than Pacific andAtlantic counterparts1,2 (see Fig. 1), suggesting that the upper mantle beneath the Indian Ocean has remained a partially isolated system2. The Australian–Antarctic discordance, a bathymetrically depressed segment of the South-East Indian Ridge, may represent a fundamental boundary between the Indian and Pacific mantle domains3. What processes are responsible for such domains? We argue here that the Kerguelen–Heard plume, which is producing Dupal-type basalts on Kerguelen and Heard Islands in the southern Indian Ocean, has contaminated large volumes of the Indian Ocean asthenosphere. This has produced the distinctive composition of Indian Ocean MORBs.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Dupre, B. & Allégre, C. J. Nature 303, 142–146 (1983).
Hamelin, B., Dupre, B. & Allégre, C. J. Earth planet Sci Lett. 76, 288–298 (1986).
Klein, E. M., Langmuir, C. H., Zindler, A., Staudigel, H. & Hamelin, B. Nature 333, 623–628 (1988).
Playford, P. E., Cockbain, A. E. & Low, G. H. Geol. Surv. W. Aust. Bull. 124, (1976).
Baksi, A. K., Barman, T. R., Paul, D. K. & Farrar, E. Chem. Geol. 63, 133–141 (1987).
Sarkar, A., Paul, D. K., Balasubrahmanyan, M. N. & Sengupta, N. R. J. geol. Soc. India 21, 188–193 (1980).
Sheraton, J. J. geol. Soc. Aust. 30, 295–304 (1983).
Mutter, J. C., Hegarty, K. A., Cande, S. C. & Weissel, J. K. Tectonophysics 114, 255–279 (1985).
Leclaire, L. et al. Geo-Mar. Lett. 7, 169–176 (1987).
Peirce, J. W. J. R. astr. Soc. 52, 277–311 (1978).
Giret, A. & Lameyre, J. in Antarctic Earth Science (eds Oliver, R. L., James, P. R. & Jago, J. B.) 646–651 (Cambridge University Press, 1983).
Storey, M. et al. Nature 336, 371–374 (1988).
Weis, D., Mennessier, J. P. & Gautier, I. Chem. Geol. 70, 58 (1988).
Hart, S. R. Nature 309, 753–757 (1984).
Saunders, A. D., Norry, M. J. & Tarney, J. in Oceanic and Continental Lithosphere: Similarities and Differences (eds Menzies, M. A. & Cox, K. G.) J. Petrol. spec. Vol. 415–445 (Oxford Univ. Press, 1988).
Weaver, B.L., Wood, D. A., Tarney, J. & Joron, J.-L. Geol. Soc. Lond. spec. Publn 30, 253–267 (1987).
ODP Leg 121 Shipboard Scientific Party Nature 335, 593–594 (1988).
Weis, D., Gautier, I. & Menessier, J. P. Chem. Geol. 70, 58 (1988).
Mantovani, M. S. M. et al. J. Petrol. 26, 187–209 (1985).
Paul, D. K. & Potts, P. J. Geol. Mag. 118, 393–399 (1981).
Schilling, J.-G., Sigurdsson, H., Paris, A. N. & Hey, R. N. Nature 317, 325–331 (1985).
Humphris, S. et al. Geochim. cosmochim. Acta 49, 1445–1464 (1985).
Schilling, J.-G. et al. Am. J. Sci. 283, 510–586 (1983).
Dupre, B. & Allégre, C. J. Nature 286, 17–21 (1980).
Ito, E., White, W. M. & Gopel, C. Chem. Geol. 62, 157–176 (1987).
Sun, S.-S. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. Lond. A297, 409–445 (1980).
Price, R. C., Kennedy, A. K., Riggs-Sneeringer, M. & Frey, F. A. Earth planet. Sci. Lett. 78, 379–396 (1986).
Chaffey, D. J., Cliff, R. A. & Wilson, B. M. Geol. Soc. Lond. spec. Publn 42, 257–278 1989.
Palacz, Z. A. & Saunders, A. D. Earth planet. Sci. Lett. 79, 270–280 (1986).
Dosso, L., Bougault, H., Beuzart, P., Calvex, J.-C. & Joron, J.-L. Earth planet. Sci. Lett. 88, 47–59 (1988).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Storey, M., Saunders, A., Tarney, J. et al. Contamination of Indian Ocean asthenosphere by the Kerguelen–Heard mantle plume. Nature 338, 574–576 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1038/338574a0
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/338574a0
- Springer Nature Limited
This article is cited by
-
Shear wave velocity structure beneath the eastern Indian Ocean from Rayleigh wave dispersion measurements
Acta Geophysica (2023)
-
Zircon SHRIMP U–Pb age of Late Jurassic OIB-type volcanic rocks from the Tethyan Himalaya: constraints on the initial activity time of the Kerguelen mantle plume
Acta Geochimica (2018)
-
Heterogeneous mantle source and magma differentiation of quaternary arc-like volcanic rocks from Tengchong, SE margin of the Tibetan Plateau
Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology (2012)
-
The hydrangeas of plate tectonics
Nature Geoscience (2009)
-
Isotopic portrayal of the Earth’s upper mantle flow field
Nature (2007)