Making and breaking an island arc: A new perspective from the Oligocene Kyushu‐Palau arc, Philippine Sea

Abstract

The Kyushu‐Palau Ridge (KPR) is a 2600 km long remnant island arc that is separated from the active Izu‐Bonin‐Mariana (IBM) arc by a series of spreading and rift basins. We present 40Ar/39Ar ages and geochemical data for the entire length of the Kyushu‐Palau arc as well as for the conjugate arc which is stranded within the IBM fore arc. New 40Ar/39Ar ages indicate that the KPR was active between 25 and 48 Ma, but the majority of the exposed volcanism occurred in the final phase, between 25 and 28 Ma. Rifting of the Kyushu‐Palau arc to form the Shikoku and Parece Vela basins occurred simultaneously along the length of the arc (circa 25 Ma), and at a similar distance from the trench. Unlike the IBM, the KPR has only limited systematic along‐arc geochemical trends. Two geochemical components within the KPR indicate an origin in the suprasubduction mantle. First, EM‐1‐like lavas are identified in a restricted section of the arc, suggesting a localized heterogeneity. Second, EM‐2‐like arc volcanoes formed on juvenile West Philippine Basin crust, potentially reflecting ingress of mantle from the then active EM‐2 province which lies in the west. Another geochemical heterogeneity is found at the KPR–Daito Ridge intersection where the arc developed on preexisting Cretaceous Daito Ridge crust. The geochemical characteristics at this intersection likely result from the involvement of sub–Daito Ridge lithospheric mantle. Subduction flux beneath the KPR generally matches post–45 Ma Eocene/Oligocene lavas in the IBM fore arc, involving fluids and melts derived from altered igneous crust.