Mantle peridotites from the Bouvet Triple Junction Region, South Atlantic

Abstract

ABSTRACT The Bouvet Triple Junction (BTJ) region in the South Atlantic, where the African, South American and Antarctica plates meet, is affected by several topographic/melting anomalies. Causes of these anomalies were investigated through a study of mantle‐derived serpentinized peridotites sampled from three sites in the BTJ region: (1) the Inner Corner High at the intersection of the America Antarctic Ridge (AAR) with the Conrad transform; (2) the south wall of the Bouvet transform (South West Indian Ridge, SWIR); and (3) the eastern Bouvet SWIR Transform Intersection. The degree of melting undergone by these rocks was estimated from relic mineral major‐ and trace‐element composition. Geochemical profiles from residual peridotites and associated basalts show a > 1000‐km‐wide melting anomaly centred on the Bouvet and Spiess topographic anomalies.