Subducted lithosphere controls halogen enrichments in the Iceland mantle plume source

• Published in: Geology
• Main Authors: Halldorsson, Sæmundur A., Barnes, Jaime D., Stefansson, Andri, Hilton, David R., Hauri, Erik H., Marshall, Edward W.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: GSA, Geological Society of America 2016
• Subjects: Iceland
• Online Access: https://oceanrep.geomar.de/id/eprint/47953/; https://oceanrep.geomar.de/id/eprint/47953/1/Halldorsson.pdf; https://doi.org/10.1130/G37924.1

The chlorine isotope composition of Earth’s interior can place strong constraints on deep-Earth cycling of halogens and the origin of mantle chemical heterogeneity. However, all mantle-derived volcanic samples studied for Cl isotopes thus far originate from submarine volcanic systems, where the influence of seawater-derived Cl is pervasive. Here, we present Cl isotope data from subglacial volcanic glasses from Iceland, where the mid-ocean ridge system emerges above sea level and is free of seawater influence. The Iceland data display significant variability in δ37Cl values, from −1.8‰ to +1.4‰, and are devoid of regional controls. The absence of correlations between Cl and O isotope ratios and the lack of evidence for seawater-derived enrichments in Cl indicate that the variation in δ37Cl values in Icelandic basalts can be solely attributed to mantle heterogeneity. Indeed, positive correlations are evident between δ37Cl values and incompatible trace element ratios (e.g., La/Y), and long-lived radiogenic Pb isotope ratios. The data are consistent with the incorporation of altered lithosphere, including the uppermost sedimentary package, subducted into the Iceland mantle plume source, resulting in notable halogen enrichments in Icelandic basalts relative to lavas from adjacent mid-ocean ridges.