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Climate and tectonics have complex feedback systems which are difficult to resolve and remain controversial. Here we propose a new climate-independent approach to constrain regional Andean surface uplift. 87Sr/86Sr and 143Nd/144Nd ratios of Quaternary frontal-arc lavas from the Andean Plateau are distinctly crustal (>0.705 and <0.5125, respectively) compared to non-plateau arc lavas, which we identify as a plateau discriminant. Strong linear correlations exist between smoothed elevation and 87Sr/86Sr (R2 = 0.858, n = 17) and 143Nd/144Nd (R2 = 0.919, n = 16) ratios of non-plateau arc lavas. These relationships are used to constrain 200 Myr of surface uplift history for the Western Cordillera (present elevation 4200 ± 516 m). Between 16 and 26°S, Miocene to recent arc lavas have comparable isotopic signatures, which we infer indicates that current elevations were attained in the Western Cordillera from 23 Ma. From 23-10 Ma, surface uplift gradually propagated southwards by ~400 km. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Assessing the impact of crustal assimilation on the composition of oceanic arc lavas is important if source composition is to be correctly interpreted. This is particularly the case in the Lesser Antilles where lavas encompass a very large range in radiogenic isotope compositions. Here we present new 176Hf/177Hf and trace element data for a suite of samples from St Lucia in the southern Lesser Antilles arc where assimilation of sediments located within the arc crust has been shown to influence significantly Sr-Nd-Pb isotope compositions. We show that a high rate of assimilation (r=0·8) of sediment is responsible for the co-variation of Th/Th*, La/Sm, 87Sr/86Sr, 206/207/208Pb/204Pb, 143Nd/144Nd and 176Hf/177Hf towards extreme 'continental' compositions. Lavas that escaped sediment assimilation have a typical oceanic arc signature and provide the best indication of mantle source characteristics beneath St Lucia. They display similar Ba/Th, La/Sm and Nd isotopic compositions to lavas further north in the arc, but with slightly more radiogenic Sr and Pb. Addition of less than 2% of local bulk subducting sediment, or less than 3·5% of sediment partial melt or fluid, to the mantle wedge can explain these compositions; these estimates are similar to those previously proposed for the northern arc. After correction for the effects of sediment assimilation, the St Lucia lavas have only slightly more radiogenic Pb and Sr isotope signatures compared with the northern islands; this can be attributed to differences in the isotopic composition of the local subducting sediment rather than to greater sediment input, as has been previously proposed. Comparison of St Lucia with the other southern Lesser Antilles islands suggests that similar mantle source compositions exist beneath Martinique, St Vincent and perhaps Bequia, whereas a more 'continental' source might characterize Ile de Caille, Kick 'em Jenny and Grenada. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report an extensive helium isotope survey of basaltic to andesitic lavas from the Lesser Antilles island arc—an arc system with well-documented evidence of crustal contamination. Given the sensitivity of helium isotopes as a tracer of the effects of crustal additions, our aim is to evaluate the relationship of 3He/4He ratios to other indices of contamination processes such as oxygen and strontium isotopes. To this end, we have carried out 53 3He/4He analyses on separated minerals (olivines and pyroxenes) from throughout the arc, which we compare with whole-rock strontium and phenocryst oxygen isotope measurements. We show that the three isotopic tracers show coherent patterns throughout the Lesser Antilles, indicating a regional control on crustal contamination. The southern section of the arc (Grenada to Martinique) shows clear evidence for major crustal contamination in all three isotopic systems with results for our samples in the range 3He/4He(olivine) 3·6–7·6RA, δ18O(olivine) 4·74–5·76‰, and 87Sr/86Sr(whole-rock) 0·703970–0·705463. We suggest that terrigenous sediments incorporated into the arc crust are the principal contaminant. In contrast, there is minimal contamination in the northern part of the arc [Martinique–(Dominica)–Guadeloupe to Saba] with results for the samples in the range 3He/4He(olivine) 6·8–8·4RA, δ18O(olivine) 5·01–5·29‰, and 87Sr/86Sr(whole-rock) 0·703221–0·703843. In this part of the arc, only pyroxene 3He/4He values (1·4–6·8RA) consistently record evidence of relatively minor, late-stage additions from the arc crust. Martinique appears to represent the transition between the two sections of the arc. The tracer with the greatest sensitivity appears to be helium isotopes, as contamination is seen first and most prominently in this system. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Abstract: Shield-stage high-MgO alkalic lavas from La Palma and El Hierro (Canary Islands) have been characterized for their O–Sr–Nd–Os–Pb isotope compositions and major-, trace-, and highly siderophile-element (HSE: Os, Ir, Ru, Pt, Pd, Re) abundances. New data are also reported for associated evolved rocks, and entrained xenoliths. Clear differences in Pd/Ir and isotopic ratios for high Os (>50ppt) lavas from El Hierro (δ18Oolivine =5.17±0.08‰; 87Sr/86Sr=0.7029 to 0.7031; εNd =+5.7 to +7.1; 187Os/188Os=0.1481 to 0.1750; 206Pb/204Pb=19.1 to 19.7; Pd/Ir=6±3) versus those from La Palma (δ18Oolivine =4.87±0.18‰; 87Sr/86Sr=0.7031 to 0.7032; εNd =+5.0 to +6.4; 187Os/188Os=0.1421 to 0.1460; 206Pb/204Pb=19.5 to 20.2; Pd/Ir=11±4) are revealed from the dataset. Crustal or lithospheric assimilation during magma transport cannot explain variations in isotopic ratios or element abundances of the lavas. Shallow-level crystal–liquid fractionation of olivine, clinopyroxene and associated early-crystallizing minerals (e.g., spinel and HSE-rich phases) controlled compatible element and HSE abundances; there is also evidence for sub-aerial degassing of rhenium. High-MgO lavas are enriched in light rare earth elements, Nb, Ta, U, Th, and depleted in K and Pb, relative to primitive mantle abundance estimates, typical of HIMU-type oceanic island basalts. Trace element abundances and ratios are consistent with low degrees (2–6%) of partial melting of an enriched mantle source, commencing in the garnet stability field (⩾110km). Western Canary Island lavas were sulphur undersaturated with estimated parental melt HSE abundances (in ppb) of 0.07±0.05 Os, 0.17±0.16 Ir, 0.34±0.32 Ru, 2.6±2.5 Pt, 1.4±1.2 Pd, 0.39±0.30 Re. These estimates indicate that Canary Island alkali basalts have lower Os, Ir and Ru, but similar Pt, Pd and Re contents to Hawai’ian tholeiites. The HIMU affinities of the lavas, in conjunction with the low δ18Oolivine and high 206Pb/204Pb for La Palma, and elevated 187Os/188Os for El Hierro implies melting of different proportions of recycled oceanic crust and lithosphere. Our preferred model to explain isotopic differences between the islands is generation from peridotitic mantle metasomatised by <10% pyroxenite/eclogite made from variable portions of similar aged recycled oceanic crust and lithosphere. The correspondence of radiogenic 206Pb/204Pb, 187Os/188Os, elevated Re/Os and Pt/Os, and low-δ18O in western Canary Island lavas provides powerful support for recycled oceanic crust and lithosphere to generate the spectrum of HIMU-type ocean island basalt signatures. Persistence of geochemical heterogeneities throughout the stratigraphies of El Hierro and La Palma demonstrate long-term preservation of these recycled components in their mantle sources over relatively short-length scales (∼50km). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Plate tectonic processes result in recycling of crust and lithosphere into Earth's mantle. Evidence for long-term preservation of recycled reservoirs in the mantle comes from the enriched isotopic character of oceanic island basalt (OIB) lavas. Although recycled constituents can explain much of the geochemical variation in the OIB-source mantle, it has been shown that direct melting of these components would lead to magmas with evolved compositions, unlike OIB. Instead, it has been argued that either metasomatic pyroxene-rich peridotite that has inherited the trace element and isotopic character of subducted materials, or high-temperature intramantle metasomatism of lithosphere can explain OIB compositions. To test these models, we present new oxygen and osmium isotope data for lavas from the Canary Islands of El Hierro and La Palma. These islands have distinct 18O/16O and 187Os/188Os compositions that can be explained through melting of pyroxenite-enriched peridotite mantle containing <10% recycled oceanic lithosphere. We also assess O-Os isotope systematics of lavas from Hawai'i and the Azores and show that they also conform to addition of distinct recycled oceanic components, including lithosphere and pelagic sediment. We conclude that enriched isotopic signatures of some OIBs are consistent with pyroxenite-rich mantle sources metasomatized by recycled components. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]