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Oxygen-isotope evidence for recycled crust in the sources of mid-ocean-ridge basalts

Author

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  • John M. Eiler

    (California Institute of Technology)

  • Pierre Schiano

    (California Institute of Technology
    Laboratory Geochimie–Cosmochimie, IPG Paris
    Unité Mixte de Recherche 6524 ‘Magmas et Volcans’, Université Blaise-Pascal)

  • Nami Kitchen

    (California Institute of Technology)

  • Edward M. Stolper

    (California Institute of Technology)

Abstract

Mid-ocean-ridge basalts (MORBs) are the most abundant terrestrial magmas and are believed to form by partial melting of a globally extensive reservoir of ultramafic rocks in the upper mantle1. MORBs vary in their abundances of incompatible elements (that is, those that partition into silicate liquids during partial melting) and in the isotopic ratios of several radiogenic isotope systems2,3,4. These variations define a spectrum between ‘depleted’ and ‘enriched’ compositions, characterized by respectively low and high abundances of incompatible elements5,6. Compositional variations in the sources of MORBs could reflect recycling of subducted crustal materials into the source reservoir7, or any of a number of processes of intramantle differentiation8,9,10. Variations in 18O/16O (principally sensitive to the interaction of rocks with the Earth's hydrosphere) offer a test of these alternatives. Here we show that 18O/16O ratios of MORBs are correlated with aspects of their incompatible-element chemistry. These correlations are consistent with control of the oxygen-isotope and incompatible-element geochemistry of MORBs by a component of recycled crust that is variably distributed throughout their upper mantle sources.

Suggested Citation

  • John M. Eiler & Pierre Schiano & Nami Kitchen & Edward M. Stolper, 2000. "Oxygen-isotope evidence for recycled crust in the sources of mid-ocean-ridge basalts," Nature, Nature, vol. 403(6769), pages 530-534, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:403:y:2000:i:6769:d:10.1038_35000553
    DOI: 10.1038/35000553
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    Cited by:

    1. Jing-Yao Xu & Andrea Giuliani & Qiu-Li Li & Kai Lu & Joan Carles Melgarejo & William L. Griffin, 2021. "Light oxygen isotopes in mantle-derived magmas reflect assimilation of sub-continental lithospheric mantle material," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-13, December.

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