Additional 40Ar- 39Ar dating of the basement and the alkaline volcanism of Gorringe Bank (Atlantic Ocean)

Abstract

40Ar/ 39Ar step heating analyses are reported for a variety of samples from Gorringe Bank (Atlantic Ocean). Flat age spectra for two primary, igneous hornblendes of Gorringe (corresponding to an age of 143 Ma) show that the K-Ar ages obtained on these samples by Prichard and Mitchell [4] are evidently crystallization and not hybrid ages. This sustains the concept of an initiation age of 140 Ma [4] for Gorringe Bank. No support is found for Carpena's suggestion [7] that the formation of Gorringe Bank began 200 Ma ago. Secondary hornblendes from Ormonde seamount rocks appear to have formed shortly after the initiation of the Bank. Precise plateau ages on samples of two alkaline volcanics from Ormonde correspond to the older limit of the alkaline volcanism suggested by Féraud et al. [3,5].