Rare Gas Isotopes in Hawaiian Ultramafic Nodules and Volcanic Rocks: Constraint on Genetic Relationships

Abstract

Differences in the rare gas isotopic ratios, especially the ratios of helium-3 to helium-4 and of argon-40 to argon-36, in Hawaiian ultramafic nodules and phenocrysts in volcanic rocks indicate that the nodules and phenocrysts were derived from different sources. The isotopic ratios in ultramafic nodules are similar to those in oceanic tholeiites. The phenocrysts seem to have formed in equilibrium with source materials richer in primordial components than those of the oceanic tholeiites. Mixing between the sources is quite likely.