Mantle melting

Using the diving submersible survey NAUTICA we investigated the central part of the Caribbean large igneous province (CLIP) to observe and sample internal portions of this proposed oceanic plateau. Most of the samples are gabbroic and doleritic rocks; basalts are scarce. Radiometric dating by 40Ar/39Ar incremental heating experiments indicate that the intrusive rocks are Campanian in age (81–75 Ma). In some places these intrusive rocks underlie older Santonian (85–83 Ma) extrusive basaltic rocks, suggesting that the Campanian rocks represent a sill injection and an underplating episode. Results of the diving program supplemented by information from ODP and DSDP drilling sites document a 20 m.y. period (94–75 Ma) of igneous activity in the submerged portion of the Caribbean large igneous province (CLIP). In the northern part of the Beata Ridge late Campanian and/or post Campanian uplift is documented by prominent Maastrichtian (71–65 Ma) erosion and the establishment of a Paleocene-middle Eocene (65–49 Ma) carbonate platform. During and after the uplift an extensional period is indicated by seismic images and the subsidence (3 km depth) of the carbonate platform. Paleocene ages (55–56 Ma) determined on some volcanic samples are attributed to localised decompression mantle melting that accompanied the extension. We document a prolonged period of magmatic and tectonic events that do not fit with the current models of short-lived plateau formation during mantle plume initiation but shares many similarities with the constructional histories of other oceanic large igneous provinces.

The 40Ar-39Ar analyses of 28 groundmass separates from volcanic rocks from the islands of Santiago, Sal, and São Vicente, Cape Verde archipelago, are presented. The new age data record the volcanic evolution for Santiago from 4.6 to 0.7 Ma, for Sal from around 15 to 1.1 Ma, and for São Vicente from 6.6 to 0.3 Ma. The major submarine constructional

Trace element multidimensional analysis of ocean island basalts defines a structure delimited by the same four end members (Hawaiian Islands, St. Helena-Tubuai-Mangaia Islands, Kerguelen-Gough-Tristan da Cunha and the Society Islands) as determined by isotope ratios. In contrast to the results obtained for the distribution of isotopic ratios, the dispersions of trace element concentrations in mid-ocean ridge basalts are greater than

Silurian plutonic suites in the Newfoundland Appalachians include abundant gabbro, monzogabbro and granite to granodiorite and lesser quartz diorite and tonalite. Most are medium- to high-K, but included are some low-K and shoshonitic mafic compositions. Felsic rocks are of both alkaline (A-type or within-plate granite (WPG)) and calc-alkaline volcanic arc granite (VAG) affinity. Mafic rocks include both arc-like (Nb/Th<3) calc-alkaline