Trace element and isotopic geochemistry of lavas from Haleakala Volcano, east Maui, Hawaii: Implications for the origin of Hawaiian basalts

Abstract

Haleakala volcano on East Maui, Hawaii, consists of a tholeiitic basalt shield which grades into a younger alkalic series that was followed by a posterosional alkalic series. Tholeiitic, transitional, and alkalic basalts range widely in Sr and Nd isotopic ratios (from mid‐ocean ridge basalt to bulk earth ratios) and incompatible element (P, K, Rb, Sr, Zr, Nb, Ba, REE, Hf, Ta, and Th) abundances, but isotopic ratios and incompatible element abundance ratios (e.g., Ba/La, Nb/La, La/Ce, La/Sm) vary systematically with age. The youngest series (posterosional alkalic lavas) has the highest Rb/Sr, Ba/La, Nb/La, La/Ce, and 143Nd/144Nd ratios and the lowest 87sr/86sr ratios, whereas the oldest series (dominantly tholeiitic basalts) has the lowest Rb/Sr, Ba/La, Nb/La, La/Ce, and 143Nd/144Nd ratios and the highest 87sr/86sr ratios. The most striking features of the trace element and isotopic data are the inverse correlations between isotopic ratios and parent/daughter abundance ratios in the Sr and Nd systems. Although some of the geochemical variations can be explained by shallow level fractional crystallization (e.g., alkali basalt to mugearite [Chen et al., 1984, and manuscript in preparation, 1985]), the temporal geochemical trends require a major role for mixing. We propose a model in which melts from a diaper interact with incipient melts of its wall rocks, presumed to be oceanic lithosphere. Because of motion between the lithosphere and mantle hot spot the relative contribution of melts from the diapir (mantle plume) material to the lavas decreases with time; consequently, with decreasing age the basalts become more enriched in incompatible trace elements and acquire Sr and Nd isotopic ratios which overlap with mid‐ocean ridge basalts. This model quantitatively explains the isotopic ratios and incompatible trace element abundances in representative samples from the three Haleakala volcanic series. On the basis of the degrees of melting inferred for the mixing components we conclude that the lower lithosphere and much of the asthenosphere beneath Hawaiian volcanoes are involved in creating these volcanoes.