Back-arc basin basalt systematics

Thematic Article Noble gases in pillow basalt glasses from the northern Mariana Trough back-arc basin

Noble gas concentrations and isotopic compositions have been measured in eight samples of pillow basalt glasses collected from seven different localities along 250 km of the Mariana Trough spreading and rifting axis. The samples have uniform and mid-ocean ridge basalt (MORB)-like He/He values of 9±12 ́ 10 (6.4±8.6 times atmospheric) despite large variations in He. Concentrations of the noble ga...

The CO2-He-Ar-H2O systematics of the Manus back-arc basin: Resolving source composition from degassing and contamination effects

We report new stepped heating He, Ar, CO2 and water data on a petrogenetically diverse suite of lavas from the Manus back-arc basin, where a plume component has previously been identified. The aim of this study is to evaluate the superimposed effects of degassing and contamination in order to identify mantle source characteristics. CO2 abundances and carbon isotopes in both the vesicle ([CO2] u...

Long-Term Stability of Back-Arc Basin Hydrothermal Vents

Since the discovery of hydrothermal vents 40-years ago, long-term time-series have focused on mid-ocean ridge systems. Based on these studies, hydrothermal vents are widely considered to be dynamic, ephemeral habitats. Under this premise, national, and international regulatory bodies are currently planning for the commercial mining of polymetallic sulfide deposits from hydrothermal vents. Howev...

Submarine back-arc lava with arc signature: Fonualei Spreading Center, northeast Lau Basin, Tonga

[1] We present major, volatile, and trace elements for quenched glasses from the Fonualei Spreading Center, a nascent spreading system situated very close to the Tofua Volcanic Arc (20 km at the closest), in the northeast Lau Basin. The glasses are basalts and basaltic andesites and are inferred to have originated from a relatively hot and depleted mantle wedge. The Fonualei Spreading Center sh...

The West Philippine Basin: An Eocene to early Oligocene back arc basin opened between two opposed subduction zones