Investigating Large Igneous Province Formation and Associated Paleoenvironmental Events: A White Paper for Scientific Drilling

Marc K Reichow,Elisabetta Erba,Robert A Duncan,Millard F Coffin,Michael R Rampino,Nao Ohkouchi,Olav Eldholm,Nicholas T Arndt,Stephen Self,J Godfery Fitton,Cinzia Farnetani,Clive R Neal,Stephanie P Ingle,Yoshiyuki Tatsumi

doi:10.2204/iodp.sd.6.01.2008

Abstract

No abstract available. doi:10.2204/iodp.sd.6.01.2008

Highlights

Earth’s history has been punctuated over at least the last 3.5 billion years by massive volcanism on a scale unknown in the recent geological past
Understanding the underlying mechanics and dynamics of melting anomalies can be tested where basalt composition can be related to crustal thickness or where there is evidence for anomalous mantle beneath a LIP, such as (a) diachronous V-shaped ridges around the Reykjanes Ridge south of Iceland (Fig. 3) in the North Atlantic; and (b) Ontong Java’s High Plateau, underlain by a 300-km-deep “root” of seismically anomalous mantle that has been postulated to represent the fossil plume head of the Ontong-Java Plateau (OJP) (Richardson et al, 2000; Klosko et al, 2001; Gomer and Okal, 2003)
Unique and promising opportunities exist for combined Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP)/International Continental Scientific Drilling Program (ICDP) drilling of the same LIP (e.g., onshore and offshore sections of the North Atlantic Volcanic Province; the Parana-Etendeka flood basalts (South Atlantic); the Deccan Traps-Seychelles Bank dikes (Indian Ocean); in situ and obducted (Caribbean, Central and South America) Caribbean flood basalts; Alpha Ridge and the High Arctic LIP; and the Ontong Java Plateau and obducted sections thereof in the Solomon Islands (Pacific Ocean)

Summary

Introduction

Earth’s history has been punctuated over at least the last 3.5 billion years by massive volcanism on a scale unknown in the recent geological past. The Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP) affords unique opportunities to investigate LIPs and associated environmental effects, building upon results from the Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) and Deep Sea Drilling Project (DSDP) (Coffin et al., 2006). To this end, a workshop on LIPs, sponsored by IODP Management International (IODP-MI) and the Consortium for Ocean Leadership, was held at the University of Ulster in Coleraine, Northern Ireland, U .K .

B Consequences of LIP Emplacement on the Earth System

Conclusions