Skip to main content
Springer Nature Link
Log in

Temporal variation of isotope and rare earth element abundances in volcanic rocks from Guam: implications for the evolution of the Mariana Arc

  • Published:
Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Volcanic rocks exposed on Guam were erupted during the Late Middle Eocene (Facpi Fm.), Late Eocene-Oligocene (Alutom Fm.) and Miocene (Umatac Fm.). Four magma series are recognized: the boninite series (44 m.y.b.p.), the tholeiite and calc-alkaline series, which were erupted along with boninite series lavas at 32–36 m.y.b.p. and high-K lavas of the Umatac Fm. (14 m.y.b.p.). Isotope and and rare earth element (REE) characteristics of the four magma series are distinct. Boninite series lavas have U-shaped REE patterns, relatively low 143Nd/144Nd (0.51294–0.51298), and high 206Pb/204Pb (19.0–19.2). Tholeiite series lavas are LREE (light REE) depleted, and have high 143Nd/144Nd (0.51304–0.51306) and low 206Pb/204Pb (18.4–18.5). Calc-alkaline series lavas have Sr, Nd and Pb isotope ratios similar to tholeiite series lavas, but flat to U-shaped REE patterns. Umatac Fm. lavas are strongly LREE-enriched, and have higher 87Sr/ 86Sr (0.70375–0.70380) and 207Pb/204Pb relative to 206Pb/ 204Pb than Facpi and Alutom Fm. lavas.

Boninite and tholeiite series magmas, erupted in the position of the Palau-Kyushu Ridge, were probably derived from distinct mantle sources having OIB and N-MORB-like isotopic characteristics, together with fluids derived from subducted Pacific plate basalt. Calc-alkaline series lavas were most likely derived from the tholeiite series by extensive crystal fractionation, wallrock contamination and magma mixing. Lavas of the Umatac Fm., erupted in the position of the West Mariana Ridge, may include up to 2–3% subducted sediment, similar to some active Mariana arc lavas.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
$34.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Bloomer SR (1983) Distribution and origin of igneuous rocks from the landward slope of the Mariana Trench: implications for its structure and evolution. J Geophys Res 88:7411–7428

    Google Scholar 

  • Cameron WE, McCulloch MT, Walker DA (1983) Boninite petrogenesis: chemical and Nd-Sr isotopic constraints. Earth Planet Sci Lett 65:75–89

    Google Scholar 

  • Church SE, Tatsumoto M (1975) Lead isotope relations in oceanic ridge basalts from the Juan de Fuca-Gorda Ridge area NE Pacific Ocean. Contrib Mineral Petrol 53:253–279

    Google Scholar 

  • Clague DA, Jarrard RD (1973) Tertiary Pacific plate motion deduced from the Hawaiian-Emperor chain. Geol Soc Am Bull 84:1135–1154

    Google Scholar 

  • Cohen RS, O'Nions RK (1982) Identification of recycled continental material in the mantle from Sr, Nd and Pb isotope investigations. Earth Planet Sci Lett 61:73–84

    Google Scholar 

  • Coish RA, Hickey RL, Frey FA (1982) Rare-earth element geochemistry of the Betts Cove ophiolite, Newfoundland. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 46:2117–2134

    Google Scholar 

  • Crawford AJ (1987) Boninites and related rocks. Allen and Unwin, Winchester, MA (in press)

    Google Scholar 

  • Dallwitz WB (1968) Chemical composition and genesis of clinoenstatite bearing volcanic rocks from Cape Vogel, Papua: a discussion. In: Proc 23rd Int Geol Congr, Prague 2:229–242

    Google Scholar 

  • DePaolo DJ, Wasserburg G (1977) The sources of island arcs as indicated by Nd and Sr isotopic studies. Geophys Res Lett 4:465–468

    Google Scholar 

  • Dietrich V, Emmermann R, Oberhansli R, Puchelt H (1978) Geochemistry of basaltic and gabbroic rocks from the West Mariana Basin and the Mariana Trench. Earth Planet Sci Lett 39:127–144

    Google Scholar 

  • Dixon TH, Batiza R (1979) Petrology and chemistry of recent lavas in the northern Marianas: implications for the origin of island arc basalts. Contrib Mineral Petrol 70:167–181

    Google Scholar 

  • Duncan RA, Green DH (1980) Role of multistage melting in the formation of the oceanic crust. Geology 8:22–26

    Google Scholar 

  • Dunn T, McCallum IS (1982) The partitioning of Zr and Nb between diopside and melts in the system diopside-albite-anorthite. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 46:623–629

    Google Scholar 

  • Englebretson DC, Cox A, Gordon RG (1984) Relative motions between oceanic plates of the Pacific basin. J Geophys Res 89:10291–10310

    Google Scholar 

  • Frey FA (1984) Rare earth element abundances in upper mantle rocks. In: Henderson P (ed) Rare earth element geochemistry. Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp 153–203

    Google Scholar 

  • Gill JB (1981) Orogenic andesites and plate tectonics. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York, p 390

    Google Scholar 

  • Green DH (1973) Experimental melting studies on a model upper mantle composition at high pressure under water-saturated and water-undersaturated conditions. Earth Planet Sci Lett 19:37–53

    Google Scholar 

  • Green DH (1976) Experimental testing of “equilibrium” partial melting of peridotite under water-saturated, high pressure conditions. Can Mineral 14:255–268

    Google Scholar 

  • Grove TL, Gerlach DC, Sando TW (1982) Origin of calc-alkaline series lavas at Medicine Lake volcano by fractionation, assimilation and mixing. Contrib Mineral Petrol 80:160–182

    Google Scholar 

  • Harrison TM, Watson EB (1984) The behavior of apatite during crustal anatexis: equilibrium and kinetic considerations. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 48:1467–1477

    Google Scholar 

  • Hart SR (1984) The DUPAL anomaly: a large-scale isotopic anomaly in the southern hemisphere. Nature 309:753–756

    Google Scholar 

  • Hart SR, Brooks C (1977) The geochemistry and evolution of the early Precambrian mantle. Contrib Mineral Petrol 61:109–128

    Google Scholar 

  • Hickey R, Frey FA (1981) Rare-earth element geochemistry of Mariana fore-arc volcanics: DSDP Site 458 and Hole 459 B. In: Hussong DM, Uyeda S et al. Init Repts DSDP, 60. US Government Printing Office, Washington, pp 735–741

    Google Scholar 

  • Hickey RL, Frey FA (1982) Geochemical characteristics of boninite series volcanics: implications for their source. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 46:2099–2115

    Google Scholar 

  • Hickey-Vargas R (1987) Boninites and tholeiites from DSDP Site 458, Mariana forearc. In: Crawford AJ (ed) Boninites and related rocks. Allen and Unwin, Winchester, MA

    Google Scholar 

  • Hole MJ, Saunders AD, Marriner GF, Tarney J (1984) Subduction of pelagic sediments: implications for the origin of Ce-anomalous basalts from the Mariana Islands. J Geol Soc London 141:453–472

    Google Scholar 

  • Hussong DM, Uyeda S (1981) Tectonic processes and the history of the Mariana arc: a synthesis of the results of Deep Sea Drilling Project Leg 60. In: Hussong DM, Uyeda S et al. Init Rpts DSDP, 60. US Government Printing Office, Washington, pp 909–929

    Google Scholar 

  • Ila P, Frey FA (1984) Utilization of neutron activation analysis in the study of geologic materials. Atomkernenergie 44:710–716

    Google Scholar 

  • Irving AJ (1978) A review of experimental studies of crystal/liquid trace element partitioning. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 42:743–770

    Google Scholar 

  • Jenner GA (1981) Geochemistry of high-Mg andesites from Cape Vogel, Papua New Guinea. Chem Geol 33:307–332

    Google Scholar 

  • Karig DE (1971) Structural history of the Mariana Island arc system. Geol Soc Am Bull 82:323–344

    Google Scholar 

  • Karig DE (1975) Basin genesis in the Philippine Sea. In: Karig DE, Ingle JC et al. Init Repts DSDP, 31. US Government Printing Office, Washington, pp 857–879

    Google Scholar 

  • Kuroda N, Shiraki K (1975) Boninite and related rocks of Chichijima, Bonin Islands, Japan. Rept Fac Sci Shizuoka Univ 10:145–155

    Google Scholar 

  • Kushiro I (1972) Effect of water on the compositions of magmas formed at high pressures. J Petrol 13:311–334

    Google Scholar 

  • Lin P-N, Stern RJ, Bloomer S, Morris J (1986) Alkaline submarine volcanism in the northern Mariana and southern Volcano arc: REE and radiogenic isotope data. Trans Am Geophys Union 67:1277

    Google Scholar 

  • Luhr JF, Carmichael ISE (1980) The Colima volcanic complex, Mexico. I. Post-caldera andesites from Volcan Colima. Contrib Mineral Petrol 71:343–372

    Google Scholar 

  • Meijer A (1975) Pb and Sr isotopic studies of igneous rocks cored during Leg 31 of the Deep Sea Drilling Project. In: Karig DE, Ingle JC et al. Init Repts DSDP, 31. US Government Printing Office, Washington, pp 601–605

    Google Scholar 

  • Meijer A (1976) Pb and Sr isotopic data bearing on the origin of volcanic rocks from the Mariana island-arc system. Geol Soc Am Bull 87:1358–1369

    Google Scholar 

  • Meijer A (1980) Primitive arc volcanism and a boninite series: examples from western Pacific island arcs. Am Geophys Union Monogr 23:269–282

    Google Scholar 

  • Meijer A, Reagan M (1981) Petrology and geochemistry of the island of Sarigan, Mariana Arc: calcalkaline volcanism in an oceanic setting. Contrib Mineral Petrol 77:337–354

    Google Scholar 

  • Meijer A, Reagan M, Shafiqullah M, Sutter J, Damon P, Kling S (1983) Chronology of volcanic events in the eastern Philippine Sea. Am Geophys Union Monogr 27:349–359

    Google Scholar 

  • Morris JD, Hart SR (1983) Isotopic and incompatible element constraints on the genesis of island arc volcanics, Cold Bay and Amak Island, Aleutians. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 47:2015–2030

    Google Scholar 

  • Pegram WJ (1985) The isotope, trace element and major element geochemistry of the Mesozoic Appalachian tholeiite province. Ph D thesis, M.I.T. Cambridge, USA

    Google Scholar 

  • Reagan MK, Meijer A (1984) Geology and geochemistry of early arc volcanic rocks from Guam. Geol Soc Am Bull 95:701–713

    Google Scholar 

  • Saunders AD, Tarney J, Weaver S (1980) Transverse geochemical variations across the Antarctic peninsula: implications for the genesis of calc-alkaline magmas. Earth Planet Sci Lett 46:344–360

    Google Scholar 

  • Scott RB, Kroenke L, Zakariadze G, Sharaskin A (1980) Evolution of the South Philippine Sea: Deep Sea Drilling Project Leg 59 results. In: Kroenke L, Scott R et al. Init Repts DSDP, 59. US Government Printing Office, Washington, pp 803–816

    Google Scholar 

  • Staudigel H (1979) Chemical analyses of interlaboratory standards. In: Donnelly T, Francheteau J et al. Init Repts DSDP, 51, 52, 53, Part 2. US Government Printing Office, Washington, pp 1331–1334

    Google Scholar 

  • Stern RJ (1981) A common mantle source for western Pacific island arc and “hotspot” magmas: implications for layering in the upper mantle. Carnegie Inst Washington Yearb 80:455–461

    Google Scholar 

  • Stern RJ, Bibee LD (1980) Esmeralda Bank: geochemistry of an active submarine volcano in the Mariana arc and its implications for magma genesis in island arcs. Carnegie Inst Washington Yearb 79:465–472

    Google Scholar 

  • Stern RJ, Ito E (1983) Trace element and isotopic constraints on the source of magmas in the active Volcano and Mariana Island Arcs, Western Pacific. J Volc Geotherm Res 18:461–482

    Google Scholar 

  • Sun S, Nesbitt RW (1978) Geochemical regularities and genetic significance of ophiolitic basalts. Geology 6:689–693

    Google Scholar 

  • Takahashi E, Kushiro I (1983) Melting of dry peridotite at high pressures and basalt magma genesis. Am Mineral 68:859–879

    Google Scholar 

  • Tracey JI, Schlanger SO, Stark JT, Doan DB, May HG (1964) General geology of Guam. USGS Prof Paper 403-A: 1–104

    Google Scholar 

  • Volpe AM, McDougall JD, Hawkins JW (1987) Mariana Trough basalts (MTB): trace element and Sr-Nd isotopic evidence for mixing between MORB-like and Arc-like melts. Earth Planet Sci Lett 82:241–254

    Google Scholar 

  • Watson EB, Green TH (1981) Apatite/liquid partition coefficients for the rare earth elements and strontium. Earth Planet Sci Lett 56:405–421

    Google Scholar 

  • Watson EB, Ryerson FJ (1986) Rutile saturation in magmas: implications for Nb-Ta-Ti depletion in orogenic magmas. Trans Am Geophys Union 67:412

    Google Scholar 

  • White WM, Patchett J (1984) Hf-Nd-Sr isotopes and incompatible element abundances in island arcs: implications for magma origins and crust-mantle evolution. Earth Planet Sci Lett 67:167–185

    Google Scholar 

  • Wood DA, Mattey DP, Joron JL, Marsh NG, Tarney J, Treuil M (1981) A geochemical study of 17 selected samples from basement cores recovered at Sites 447, 448, 449, 450 and 451, DSDP Leg 59. In: Kroenke L, Scott RB et al. Init Repts DSDP, 59, US Government Printing Office, Washington, pp 743–752

    Google Scholar 

  • Woodhead JD, Fraser DG (1985) Pb, Sr and 10Be isotopic studies of volcanic rocks from the Northern Mariana Islands: implications for magma genesis and crustal recycling in the Western Pacific. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 49:1925–1930

    Google Scholar 

  • Zindler A, Hart SR, Frey FA, Jakobsson SP (1979) Nd and Sr isotope ratios and rare earth element abundances in Reykjanes Peninsula basalts: evidence for mantle heterogeneity beneath Iceland. Earth Planet Sci Lett 45:249–262

    Google Scholar 

  • Zindler A, Staudigel H, Batiza R (1984) Isotope and trace element geochemistry of young Pacific seamounts: implications for the scale of upper mantle heterogeneity. Earth Planet Sci Lett 70:175–182

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geology, Florida International University, 33199, Miami, FL, USA

    Rosemary Hickey-Vargas

  2. Earth Science Board, University of California at Santa Cruz, 95064, Santa Cruz, CA, USA

    Mark K. Reagan

Authors
  1. Rosemary Hickey-Vargas
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar

  2. Mark K. Reagan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Hickey-Vargas, R., Reagan, M.K. Temporal variation of isotope and rare earth element abundances in volcanic rocks from Guam: implications for the evolution of the Mariana Arc. Contr. Mineral. and Petrol. 97, 497–508 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00375327

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00375327

Keywords