Europium anomalies constrain the mass of recycled lower continental crust

Abstract

Research Article| August 01, 2015 Europium anomalies constrain the mass of recycled lower continental crust Ming Tang; Ming Tang * Department of Geology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742, USA *E-mail: tangmyes@gmail.com Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Roberta L. Rudnick; Roberta L. Rudnick Department of Geology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar William F. McDonough; William F. McDonough Department of Geology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Richard M. Gaschnig; Richard M. Gaschnig Department of Geology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Yu Huang Yu Huang Department of Geology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Geology (2015) 43 (8): 703–706. https://doi.org/10.1130/G36641.1 Article history received: 22 Jan 2015 rev-recd: 07 Jun 2015 accepted: 09 Jun 2015 first online: 09 Mar 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation Ming Tang, Roberta L. Rudnick, William F. McDonough, Richard M. Gaschnig, Yu Huang; Europium anomalies constrain the mass of recycled lower continental crust. Geology 2015;; 43 (8): 703–706. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/G36641.1 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGeology Search Advanced Search Abstract Statistical analyses of Sm-Eu-Gd concentrations in more than 3000 samples from the upper, middle, and lower continental crust reveal that the enrichment of Eu in the lower continental crust cannot compensate for the Eu deficit in the upper and middle continental crust, leaving the bulk continental crust with a significant negative Eu anomaly. Because the building blocks of the continental crust (mantle-derived basalts or tonalitic slab melts) do not possess a negative Eu anomaly, removal of Eu-enriched lower continental crust is required. Using Sm-Eu-Gd systematics and a mass conservation model, at least (95% confidence) crustal masses (∼6 × 1022 kg) appear to have been lost to the mantle over Earth’s history via lower crustal recycling. Such a lower crustal component in the mantle may reappear in some ocean island basalts that have positive Eu anomalies and unradiogenic Pb isotopes. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.