Deconvolving the Galapagos Plume

Brown University, Providence RI

Investigators

Abstract

The PI will conduct a geochemical study of existing samples from the Galapagos Islands and dredged samples for the Galapagos archipelago in order to sort out the various mantle components that apparently contribute to mantle melts there. He will primarily analyze olivine and spinel-hosted melt inclusions, based on evidence that such inclusions generally contain more diverse melts and are less affected by mixing than bulk lavas. He will analyze major elements, trace elements, volatile abundances, Pb isotopes and Oxygen isotopes in order to determine the nature of various mantle endmembers, and to provide constraints on what these endmembers actually are (subducted sediment? recycled oceanic gabbro? Recycled altered basalt, etc..). The study will mostly be conducted using instruments at WHOI, DTM, and Caltech.