Sr-Nd-Hf-Pb isotopic constraints on the origin of silicic lavas in the northern Cascade Arc

Abstract:

The Cascade Arc is the type-locality for a ‘hot’ subduction zone, where the downgoing slab is young and subduction is relatively slow; a unique setting for studying the controls on silicic (>56 wt% SiO₂) magma genesis [1,2]. We present high precision Sr-Nd-Hf-Pb isotopic and trace element data for silicic lavas and country rocks from the major centres of the Garibaldi Volcanic Belt (GVB) in British Columbia, which are hosted by the Mesozoic Coast Plutonic Complex and accreted Coast Belt terranes.

In isotopic plots, the silicic GVB lavas define mixing curves between northern Cascadia Basin sediment [3] and Juan de Fuca MORB. The silicic GVB lavas have lower ɛ_Nd, and higher ɛ_Hf, ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr, ²⁰⁸Pb/²⁰⁴Pb and ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁴Pb for a given ²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb than co-existing alkalic mafic lavas [2,4] which define a separate isotopic cluster. The alkalic mafic lavas have OIB-like trace element compositions [2,4], but the silicic lavas are calc-alkaline with a typical ‘arc’ trace element signature.

Geochemical systematics suggest that a mafic, isotopically ‘depleted’ contaminant may be affecting the composition of GVB silicic lavas. However, modelling indicates that slab melts do not constitute a major component of the lavas despite high slab temperatures. Geochemical models also rule out the accreted Coast Belt terranes as an assimilant. However, AFC modelling using 147 Ma Cloudburst quartz diorite [5] as the assimilant can explain both the trace element and isotopic compositional range displayed by GVB silicic magmas, consistent with the Coast Plutonic Complex as a major component of the deep crust in this region. Crustal assimilation would have partially overprinted any alkalic mantle-derived signature of parental magmas, while imparting a calc-alkaline arc signature to resulting silicic magmas.

 [1] Green & Harry (1999) EPSL, 171; [2] Mullen & Weis (2013) G3, 14; [3] Carpentier et al. (2014) Chem Geol, 382; [4] Mullen & Weis (2015) EPSL, 414; [5] Friedman & Armstrong (1995) GSA Spec Pap 299.