Recycling of oceanic crust and the origin of intraplate volcanism

Abstract

Source models for intraplate volcanism (IPV) include vertical introduction of material from deep in the mantle (plume model), contamination of the shallow mantle (perisphere and continental mantle delamination models) and derivation by selective partial melting of oceanic crust recycled into the depleted mantle (SUMA/streaky mantle models). The plume hypothesis became the ruling model after a flawed interpretation of helium isotope data in the mid 1980s that led to plumes being imposed on models for crustal recycling into the depleted mantle. This incorporation of otherwise competing concepts, is the cause of unnecessary complexity in modern geodynamic models. The plume model cannot explain all manifestations of IPV and a comprehensive explanation can only be found by invoking the alternative options, combined with their tapping by plate tectonic processes.