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Sr isotope zoning in plagioclase from Parinacota Volcano (Northern Chile): quantifying magma mixing and crustal contamination

Ginibre, C.; Davidson, J.P.

Sr isotope zoning in plagioclase from Parinacota Volcano (Northern Chile): quantifying magma mixing and crustal contamination Thumbnail


Authors

C. Ginibre

J.P. Davidson



Abstract

We present analyses of Sr isotope zoning by microdrilling and thermal ionization mass spectrometry in plagioclase crystals from Parinacota volcano (Central Volcanic Zone, northern Chile), which were analysed for major and minor element zoning in a previous study. Although the isotopic range of the bulk-rock samples is small at this volcano (0·7067–0·7070, except for one flow of mafic andesite at 0·7061), significant variations are seen (0·70649–0·70700) within and between plagioclase crystals. A general negative correlation is observed between Sr isotope composition and Sr concentration in the liquid in equilibrium with each plagioclase zone, as calculated from chemical zoning data and partition coefficients. Additional scatter is superimposed on this general trend, indicating a decoupling between isotopic and chemical variations for Sr. In one dacite sample a detailed isotopic profile shows increasing contamination during crystal growth, except for an abrupt decrease correlated with a dissolution surface and interpreted as a recharge event. We apply energy-constrained recharge, assimilation and fractional crystallization modelling to the melt evolution recorded in the chemical and isotopic zoning in this crystal. Results suggest 20% assimilation of the local wall-rock gneiss, at high initial temperatures. The isotopic data confirm the involvement of two contrasting mafic magmas, which are sampled at flank cinder cone vents. One (Lower Ajata) has a low Sr content with high 87Sr/86Sr, the other (Upper Ajata) has a high Sr content with lower 87Sr/86Sr. In some samples from Parinacota, the isotopic composition of plagioclase crystal rims or groundmass crystals is significantly higher than that of the high 87Sr/86Sr mafic magma. In others, where chemical zoning profiles suggest that recharge was from the low 87Sr/86Sr magma, the 87Sr/86Sr of the groundmass and crystal rims is higher than expected. This indicates either additional parent magmas to the two previously identified, or further crustal assimilation, either at lower crustal depths, before crystallization of plagioclase, or just after the last recharge. Our results illustrate the complexity of magma–crust interaction beneath Parinacota, which is likely to be representative of many other Central Andean volcanoes formed on thick crust. Such complex interactions can be revealed by combined study of chemical and isotopic zoning in plagioclase (in a textural petrographic context), despite a small whole-rock isotopic range. The distinct contamination patterns of various samples suggest an important role for the geometry, location and evolution of the magma plumbing system and, in general, variations of the thermal and compositional structure of the crust underneath the volcano.

Citation

Ginibre, C., & Davidson, J. (2014). Sr isotope zoning in plagioclase from Parinacota Volcano (Northern Chile): quantifying magma mixing and crustal contamination. Journal of Petrology, 55(6), 1203-1238. https://doi.org/10.1093/petrology/egu023

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Apr 7, 2014
Online Publication Date May 29, 2014
Publication Date Jun 1, 2014
Deposit Date Nov 17, 2014
Publicly Available Date Mar 28, 2024
Journal Journal of Petrology
Print ISSN 0022-3530
Electronic ISSN 1460-2415
Publisher Oxford University Press
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 55
Issue 6
Pages 1203-1238
DOI https://doi.org/10.1093/petrology/egu023
Keywords Crustal assimilation, Magma mixing, Isotopic microsampling, Plagioclase, Zoning patterns, Parinacota

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Copyright Statement
This is a pre-copyedited, author-produced PDF of an article accepted for publication in Journal of petrology following peer review. The definitive publisher-authenticated version Ginibre, C. and Davidson, J.P. (2014) 'Sr isotope zoning in plagioclase from Parinacota Volcano (Northern Chile) : quantifying magma mixing and crustal contamination.', Journal of petrology., 55 (6). pp. 1203-1238 is available online at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/petrology/egu023





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