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Volcanic–plutonic parity and the differentiation of the continental crust

Author

Listed:
  • C. Brenhin Keller

    (Guyot Hall, Princeton University)

  • Blair Schoene

    (Guyot Hall, Princeton University)

  • Melanie Barboni

    (Guyot Hall, Princeton University
    Planetary, and Space Sciences, University of California)

  • Kyle M. Samperton

    (Guyot Hall, Princeton University)

  • Jon M. Husson

    (Guyot Hall, Princeton University
    University of Wisconsin-Madison)

Abstract

The continental crust is central to the biological and geological history of Earth. However, crustal heterogeneity has prevented a thorough geochemical comparison of its primary igneous building blocks—volcanic and plutonic rocks—and the processes by which they differentiate to felsic compositions. Our analysis of a comprehensive global data set of volcanic and plutonic whole-rock geochemistry shows that differentiation trends from primitive basaltic to felsic compositions for volcanic versus plutonic samples are generally indistinguishable in subduction-zone settings, but are divergent in continental rifts. Offsets in major- and trace-element differentiation patterns in rift settings suggest higher water content in plutonic magmas and reduced eruptibility of hydrous silicate magmas relative to dry rift volcanics. In both tectonic settings, our results indicate that fractional crystallization, rather than crustal melting, is predominantly responsible for the production of intermediate and felsic magmas, emphasizing the role of mafic cumulates as a residue of crustal differentiation.

Suggested Citation

  • C. Brenhin Keller & Blair Schoene & Melanie Barboni & Kyle M. Samperton & Jon M. Husson, 2015. "Volcanic–plutonic parity and the differentiation of the continental crust," Nature, Nature, vol. 523(7560), pages 301-307, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:523:y:2015:i:7560:d:10.1038_nature14584
    DOI: 10.1038/nature14584
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    Cited by:

    1. Chetan Nathwani & Jon Blundy & Simon J. E. Large & Jamie J. Wilkinson & Yannick Buret & Matthew A. Loader & Lorenzo Tavazzani & Cyril Chelle-Michou, 2024. "A zircon case for super-wet arc magmas," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-11, December.
    2. Di-Cheng Zhu & Qing Wang & Roberto F. Weinberg & Peter A. Cawood & Sun-Lin Chung & Yong-Fei Zheng & Zhidan Zhao & Zeng-Qian Hou & Xuan-Xue Mo, 2022. "Interplay between oceanic subduction and continental collision in building continental crust," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-10, December.

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