Abstract
Helium isotope ratios in Lau Basin back-arc basalts range from 7 to 22 times the atmospheric value ( R A ), i.e. from ratios typical of MORB (Depleted Mantle) helium (R/R A = 8 ± 1) to ratios similar to ‘high- 3He’ hotspots as observed in the Hawaiian, Icelandic, and nearby Samoan plume ( R/R A = 24 ). Along the Central Lau Basin spreading axis and its northward extension in the region around Niuafo'ou Volcano, 3He/ 4He ratios have typical MORB values (range = 7.5–8.6), but on Rochambeau Bank, the southern flank of a large seamount, ratios up to 22 R A occur. These high 3He/ 4He ratios are extrema of linear arrays (11–22 R A ) of He vs. Sr, Nd and Pb isotope ratios, between a Depleted Mantle (MORB) end-member and a Primitive Helium Mantle component (PHEM). PHEM is the Enriched Mantle end-member for the ‘depleted’ array formed with the DM component, and at the same time the Depleted end-member for the ‘enriched’ array formed with ‘EM’ the EM2-type end-member for Masefau Bay, Samoan basalts, as these two binary arrays intersect at its composition. Sr and Nd isotopic arrays vs. each other and vs. 3He are consistent with these binary ‘mirror arrays’ for Lau and Masefau basalts. The 3He data show unequivocally that deep-mantle plume material is present at Rochambeau Bank, and to some extent in the leaky transform/spreading axis along Peggy Ridge. We suppose that the Samoan plume component regards itself as an ‘off-ridge’ hotspot relative to the nearby Lau spreading axis, and that some of its material is channeled toward Peggy Ridge in a manner similar to the channeling we observe at the Galapagos and Pascua (Easter Island) hotspots.
Published Version
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