Implications of correlated Nd and Sr isotopic variations for the chemical evolution of the crust and mantle

Abstract

Published data showing a linear correlation between initial Nd and Sr isotope compositions in young basalts indicate the existence of a spectrum of isotopically distinct reservoirs in the mantle which represent either (1) mixtures of two homogeneous endmember reservoirs, one of which may be undifferentiated material or (2) fractionated reservoirs all derived from a homogeneous initial reservoir with the same ratio of enrichment factors for Sm/Nd and Rb/Sr. The slope of the correlation, which can be described approximately by ( 87Sr/ 86Sr) = −3.74114 ( 143Nd/ 144Nd) + 2.61935orε Nd = −2.7 ε Sr, places constraints on the origin of these reservoirs and hence on the chemical evolution of the crust-mantle system. The reservoirs could be residual regions of the mantle left after ancient partial melting events. If so, the requirement of constant relative fractionation of Sm/Nd and Rb/Sr in refractory residues is a strong constraint on partial melting models. Calculations suggest that batch melting models are more compatible with this constraint than are fractional melting models, but models incorporating currently accepted distribution coefficients and residual phase assemblages cannot reproduce the observed isotope effects except under highly specific conditions. The slope of the correlation is not consistent with the hypotheses that chemical structure in the mantle is due to accretional heterogeneity or variable loss of elements to the core. If the mantle reservoirs are complementary in composition to the continental crust, and if the crust + mantle has ε Nd = 0andε Sr = 0 and chondritic Sr/Nd, then Rb/Sr in the crust is calculated to be less than 0.10, suggesting that the crust may be more mafic in composition and contain a smaller proportion of the earth's Rb and heat-producing elements than previously estimated.