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Geochemical evidence for the melting of subducting oceanic lithosphere at plate edges

Author

Listed:
  • G. M. Yogodzinski

    (Dickinson College)

  • J. M. Lees

    (University of North Carolina)

  • T. G. Churikova

    (Institute of Volcanic Geology and Geochemistry
    Geochemisches Institut)

  • F. Dorendorf

    (Geochemisches Institut)

  • G. Wöerner

    (Geochemisches Institut)

  • O. N. Volynets

    (Institute of Volcanic Geology and Geochemistry)

Abstract

Most island-arc magmatism appears to result from the lowering of the melting point of peridotite within the wedge of mantle above subducting slabs owing to the introduction of fluids from the dehydration of subducting oceanic crust1. Volcanic rocks interpreted to contain a component of melt (not just a fluid) from the subducting slab itself are uncommon, but possible examples have been recognized in the Aleutian islands, Baja California, Patagonia and elsewhere2,3,4. The geochemically distinctive rocks from these areas, termed ‘adakites’, are often associated with subducting plates that are young and warm, and therefore thought to be more prone to melting5. But the subducting lithosphere in some adakite locations (such as the Aleutian islands) appears to be too old and hence too cold to melt6,7. This implies either that our interpretation of adakite geochemistry is incorrect, or that our understanding of the tectonic context of adakites is incomplete. Here we present geochemical data from the Kamchatka peninsula and the Aleutian islands that reaffirms the slab-melt interpretation of adakites2, but in the tectonic context of the exposure to mantle flow around the edge of a torn subducting plate. We conclude that adakites are likely to form whenever the edge of a subducting plate is warmed or ablated by mantle flow. The use of adakites as tracers for such plate geometry may improve our understanding of magma genesis and thermal structure in a variety of subduction-zone environments.

Suggested Citation

  • G. M. Yogodzinski & J. M. Lees & T. G. Churikova & F. Dorendorf & G. Wöerner & O. N. Volynets, 2001. "Geochemical evidence for the melting of subducting oceanic lithosphere at plate edges," Nature, Nature, vol. 409(6819), pages 500-504, January.
  • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:409:y:2001:i:6819:d:10.1038_35054039
    DOI: 10.1038/35054039
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    Cited by:

    1. Yaguang Chen & Hanlin Chen & Mingqi Liu & Taras Gerya, 2023. "Vertical tearing of subducting plates controlled by geometry and rheology of oceanic plates," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-11, December.
    2. Yunchao Shu & Sune G. Nielsen & Veronique Roux & Gerhard Wörner & Jerzy Blusztajn & Maureen Auro, 2022. "Sources of dehydration fluids underneath the Kamchatka arc," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-14, December.

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