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Trace element signature of subduction-zone fluids, melts and supercritical liquids at 120–180 km depth

Author

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  • Ronit Kessel

    (The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
    Institute für Mineralogie und Petrographie)

  • Max W. Schmidt

    (Institute für Mineralogie und Petrographie)

  • Peter Ulmer

    (Institute für Mineralogie und Petrographie)

  • Thomas Pettke

    (ETH Zentrum)

Abstract

Fluids and melts liberated from subducting oceanic crust recycle lithophile elements back into the mantle wedge, facilitate melting and ultimately lead to prolific subduction-zone arc volcanism1,2. The nature and composition of the mobile phases generated in the subducting slab at high pressures have, however, remained largely unknown3,4,5,6,7. Here we report direct LA-ICPMS measurements of the composition of fluids and melts equilibrated with a basaltic eclogite at pressures equivalent to depths in the Earth of 120–180 km and temperatures of 700–1,200 °C. The resultant liquid/mineral partition coefficients constrain the recycling rates of key elements. The dichotomy of dehydration versus melting at 120 km depth is expressed through contrasting behaviour of many trace elements (U/Th, Sr, Ba, Be and the light rare-earth elements). At pressures equivalent to 180 km depth, however, a supercritical liquid with melt-like solubilities for the investigated trace elements is observed, even at low temperatures. This mobilizes most of the key trace elements (except the heavy rare-earth elements, Y and Sc) and thus limits fluid-phase transfer of geochemical signatures in subduction zones to pressures less than 6 GPa.

Suggested Citation

  • Ronit Kessel & Max W. Schmidt & Peter Ulmer & Thomas Pettke, 2005. "Trace element signature of subduction-zone fluids, melts and supercritical liquids at 120–180 km depth," Nature, Nature, vol. 437(7059), pages 724-727, September.
  • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:437:y:2005:i:7059:d:10.1038_nature03971
    DOI: 10.1038/nature03971
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    Cited by:

    1. Hong-Yan Li & Rui-Peng Zhao & Jie Li & Yoshihiko Tamura & Christopher Spencer & Robert J. Stern & Jeffrey G. Ryan & Yi-Gang Xu, 2021. "Molybdenum isotopes unmask slab dehydration and melting beneath the Mariana arc," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-10, December.
    2. Hong-Yan Li & Xiang Li & Jeffrey G. Ryan & Chao Zhang & Yi-Gang Xu, 2022. "Boron isotopes in boninites document rapid changes in slab inputs during subduction initiation," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-10, December.
    3. Xiaohui Li & Osamu Ishizuka & Robert J. Stern & Sanzhong Li & Zhiqing Lai & Ian Somerville & Yanhui Suo & Long Chen & Hongxia Yu, 2024. "A HIMU-like component in Mariana Convergent Margin magma sources during initial arc rifting revealed by melt inclusions," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-11, December.
    4. 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.
    5. Pitcher, Bradley W & Kent, Adam J.R., 2018. "Statistics and segmentation: Using Big Data to assess Cascades Arc compositional variability," Earth Arxiv 6xq3w, Center for Open Science.

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