Lead isotopes reveal bilateral asymmetry and vertical continuity in the Hawaiian mantle plume

Author:

Abouchami, W., Eisele, J., Feigenson, M., Frey, F.A., Galer, S.J.G., Hofmann, A.W.

Title:

Lead isotopes reveal bilateral asymmetry and vertical continuity in the Hawaiian mantle plume

Periodical:

Nature

Year:

2005

Volume:

434

Pages:

851-856

Subject:

Hawaii Scientific Drilling Project Hawaiian plume Isotopes Kilauea Volcano Mantle plumes Mauna Kea volcano

Summary:

Mauna Loa and Mauna Loa are known to have statistically different but overlapping radiogenic isotope characteristics. Using high-precision lead isotope data for both centrally and peripherally located volcanoes, we show here that the two trends reveal bilateral, non-concentric plume zones. Along the Kea chain, there are isotopic differences between the youngest lavas from the Mauna Kea and Kilauea volcanoes, but the 550-thousand-year-old Mauna Kea lavas are isotopically identical to Kilauea lavas, consistent with Mauna Kea's position relative to the plume. We therefore conclude that narrow compositional streaks, as well as the larger-scale bilateral zonation, are vertically continuous over tens to hundreds of kilometers within the plume.

URL:

https://www.nature.com/articles/nature03402

Date:

January 16, 2005

Collection:

Periodicals