Superplume mantle tracked isotopically the length of Africa from the Indian Ocean to the Red Sea
O'Connor J, Jokat W, Regelous M, Kuiper K, Miggins DP, Koppers AAP (2019)
Publication Language: English
Publication Status: Published
Publication Type: Journal article, Original article
Publication year: 2019
Journal
Publisher: NATURE PUBLISHING GROUP
Book Volume: 10
Article Number: ARTN 5493
DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-13181-7
Abstract
Seismological findings show a complex scenario of plume upwellings from a deep thermo-chemical anomaly (superplume) beneath the East African Rift System (EARS). It is unclear if these geophysical observations represent a true picture of the superplume and its influence on magmatism along the EARS. Thus, it is essential to find a geochemical tracer to establish where upwellings are connected to the deep-seated thermo-chemical anomaly. Here we identify a unique non-volatile superplume isotopic signature ('C') in the youngest (after 10 Ma) phase of widespread EARS rift-related magmatism where it extends into the Indian Ocean and the Red Sea. This is the first sound evidence that the superplume influences the EARS far from the low seismic velocities in the magma-rich northern half. Our finding shows for the first time that superplume mantle exists beneath the rift the length of Africa from the Red Sea to the Indian Ocean offshore southern Mozambique.
Authors with CRIS profile
Involved external institutions
Oregon State University (OSU)
United States (USA) (US)
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU) / University Amsterdam
Netherlands (NL)
Alfred-Wegener-Institut Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung (AWI)
Germany (DE)
United States (USA) (US)
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU) / University Amsterdam
Netherlands (NL)
Alfred-Wegener-Institut Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung (AWI)
Germany (DE)
How to cite
APA:
O'Connor, J., Jokat, W., Regelous, M., Kuiper, K., Miggins, D.P., & Koppers, A.A.P. (2019). Superplume mantle tracked isotopically the length of Africa from the Indian Ocean to the Red Sea. Nature Communications, 10. https://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41467-019-13181-7
MLA:
O'Connor, John, et al. "Superplume mantle tracked isotopically the length of Africa from the Indian Ocean to the Red Sea." Nature Communications 10 (2019).
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