Oceanic Volcanism from the Low-velocity Zone – without Mantle Plumes

Abstract

We develop a model for oceanic volcanism that involves fracturing of the seismic lithosphere to access melts from the partly melted seismic low-velocity zone. Data on global seismic shear-wave velocities are combined with major-element compositions of global mid-ocean ridge basalt glasses, Hawaiian basalt glasses, and phase relations in the CaO-MgO-Al2O3-SiO2-CO2 and CaO-MgO-Al2O3-SiO2-Na2O-FeO systems at pressures from 1 atm to 6 GPa. We use these data to constrain the pressure–temperature conditions for melt extraction at Hawaii and mid-ocean ridges (including Iceland), and to evaluate the existence of hot mantle plumes. In the low-velocity zone, the maximum reduction and maximum anisotropy of seismic shear-wave velocity (maximum melt fraction) occurs at a depth of ∼140–150 km for crustal ages >∼50 Ma, and a depth of ∼65 km at the East Pacific Rise axis. Seismic data indicate a smooth depth transition between these extremes. Experimental phase-equilibrium data, when combined with natural glass compositions, show that pressure–temperature conditions of tholeiitic melt extraction at Hawaii (∼4–5 GPa, 1450–1500°C) and the global oceanic ridge system (∼1·2–1·5 GPa, 1250–1280°C) are an excellent match for the two depth ranges of maximum melting indicated by seismic shear-wave data. At Hawaii, magmas escape to the surface along a fracture system that extends through the lithosphere into the low-velocity zone. This allows eruption of progressively deeper melts from the low-velocity zone, which exist at equilibrium along a normal geotherm. No significant decompression melting occurs. This produces the characteristic sequence at each volcano of initial low-volume alkalic magmas, then voluminous tholeiitic magmas that show low-pressure olivine-controlled crystallization, and final low-volume alkalic magmas from extreme depths. At the East Pacific Rise, the more shallow depth of magma extraction is caused by a perturbed ridge geotherm that grazes the lherzolite solidus within the thermal boundary layer. This results in an absence of olivine-controlled crystallization. Hawaii is not a hot plume. Instead, it shows magmas characteristic of normal mature-ocean thermal conditions in the low-velocity zone. We find no evidence of anomalously high temperatures of magma extraction and no role for hot mantle plumes anywhere in the ocean basins.