Origin of Alkaline Basaltic Intrusive Rocks in an Exhumed Accretionary Complex: Implications for Past Petit‐Spot Volcanism in the Ocean.

Accreted basaltic rocks are expected to provide information on intraplate volcanism in the oceans. Basaltic rocks, originating from mid‐ocean ridges, plateaus, and seamounts, have been reported from exhumed accretionary complexes. However, basaltic rocks related to petit‐spot volcanism remain poorly documented. We examined basaltic intrusive rocks in an exhumed accretionary complex on Amami‐Oshima Island, Ryukyu Arc. Basaltic sills intruded mélange composed of seamount‐derived micritic limestone and basaltic rocks, which deformed together with the mudstone‐dominated mélange in the subduction zone. A separate basaltic sill intruded pelagic chert before being incorporated as a mélange block in the mudstone matrix during deformation in the subduction zone. Geochemical discrimination diagrams and trace element patterns indicate that the accreted dolerites and nonintrusive basalts likely originate from mid‐ocean ridges and hotspots, respectively. On the other hand, the geochemical characteristics of basaltic sills are compatible with alkaline basalt with enriched in incompatible trace elements relative to other basaltic rocks of hotspot origin and may represent a low degree of partial melting from a deeper mantle source (>90 km). A higher ratio of gadolinium to ytterbium in the basaltic sills relative to hotspot or mid‐ocean ridge‐related basalt indicates both a deeper melting depth, and a magma source which upwelled through thick oceanic lithosphere far from the mid‐ocean ridge. Based on the timing of basaltic intrusion and geochemical features, we suggest that the basaltic intrusive rocks could record past petit‐spot volcanism in the oceanic plate. Plain Language Summary: Basaltic rocks in exhumed accretionary complexes are crucial for understanding volcanism in oceanic plates. Petit‐spot volcanoes on modern seafloor have been found in the region seaward of the trench, derived from rising basaltic magma from the deep mantle along fractures from the bending of oceanic plates. However, past petit‐spot volcanism on already subducted oceanic plates remains poorly understood. This paper reports on the geological features and geochemical element analyses used to determine that basaltic rocks found in the Chichibu accretionary complex on Amami‐Oshima Island, Ryukyu Arc, originated from the deep mantle and intruded oceanic sedimentary rocks and seamount‐related rocks. We suggest that the basaltic intrusion resulted from petit‐spot volcanism. Our results highlight that basaltic rocks found in outcrops exhumed from subduction zones could contribute to understanding past petit‐spot volcanism in the oceanic plate that has completely subducted to the mantle. Key Points: Alkaline basaltic rocks intruded mélange in an exhumed accretionary complex on Amami‐Oshima IslandGeochemical features suggest that alkaline basaltic intrusive rocks originated from low‐degree partial melts generated in the deep mantleTiming and geochemical signatures of the alkaline basalt intrusions suggest they represent past petit‐spot volcanism [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]