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Nd and Sr isotopic studies on cenozoic mafic lavas from West Antarctica: Another source for continental alkali basalts

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Abstract

The Nd and Sr isotopic ratios on a suite of continental alkali basalts from Marie Byrd Land, West Antarctica, define a change in the source over the range of K/Ar dates between 1 and 28 m.y. ago. The 87Sr/86Sr isotopic ratios (0.7026 to 0.7031) are unusually low for continental alkali basalts, although the corresponding 143Nd/144Nd ratios (0.51283 to 0.51299) are similar to previously reported values. On a 87Sr/86Sr vs. 143Nd/144Nd diagram, they define a trend on the low 87Sr/86Sr side of the “mantle array”, which has a slope steeper than the mantle array.

An explanation for the light rare earth elements (LREE) enrichment of the alkali basalts, with high 143Nd/144Nd ratios and low 87Sr/86Sr ratios, is suggested by a model which modifies the source region with a mantle-derived, CO2-enriched metasomatic fluid.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. U.S. Geological Survey, Denver Federal Center Mail Stop 963, 80225, Denver, CO, USA

    K. Futa

  2. Division of Natural and Physical Sciences, University of Colorado at Denver, 1100 Fourteenth Street, 80202, Denver, Colorado, USA

    W. E. Le Masurier

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  1. K. Futa
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  2. W. E. Le Masurier
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Futa, K., Le Masurier, W.E. Nd and Sr isotopic studies on cenozoic mafic lavas from West Antarctica: Another source for continental alkali basalts. Contr. Mineral. and Petrol. 83, 38–44 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00373077

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00373077

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