Magmatic Evolution of the Western Branch of the East African Rift System Melts: Evidence by Silicate Melt Inclusions, Rock Petrography and Geochemistry of the Nyiragongo 1977 and 2002 Lavas in DRC

Nyiragongo volcanic eruptions of 1977 and 2002 emitted silica-undersaturated lavas named melilite-nephelinites with microlithic to sub-porphyritic textures, and consisted of olivine, clinopyroxene (augite), phlogopite, melilite, magnetite, and rare plagioclases. This melilite-nephelinite as an evolved rock, shows low SiO2 (38.40 - 39.52 wt%) and MgO (3.10 - 4.01 wt%), and relatively high FeOt (13.76 - 14.10 wt%), Al2O3 (15.01 - 16.48 wt%), CaO (11.00 - 12.29 wt%) and Na2O + K2O (10.34 - 11.85 wt%). Unlike LA-ICP-MS on silicate melt inclusions (SMIs) hosted in augite show a pristine melt of picrobasaltic (low Ti-picrite) rock poor in SiO2 (31.14 - 32.26 wt%), FeOt (2.19 - 2.79 wt%), Al2O3 (8.01 - 9.57 wt%), and Na2O + K2O (2.34 - 3.05 wt%), while enriched in MgO (20.27 - 28.63 wt%), and CaO (24.95 - 33.17 wt%). The sums (∑REEs) for lavas and SMIs are ranging 712 - 799 and 43 - 119 ppm respectively. REE contracted multi-element patterns showed a W-feature for most lavas except for SMIs. High Rb/Sr, and low Ba/Rb, Zr/Nb, and Sm/Hf ratios of lavas suggest a phlogopite-rich source of materials. .

Glass inclusions in volcanic rocks in the Okinawa Trough back-arc basin: constraints on magma genesis and evolution

The major element compositions of glass inclusions in plagioclase and pyroxene phenocrysts of basalt and pumice in the Okinawa Trough back-arc basin are determined by electron microprobe. The results indicate that basalt and pumice are cognate and respectively represent the products at early stages of magmatism and at late stage of crystal fractionation. The initial magma in the trough is rich in H2O. The variation of H2O content in magma may play an important role in the magma evolution. Plagioclase is the mineral crystallized throughout the whole magmatic process and accumulates in the zoned magma chamber. From these features it can be inferred that the initial magma in the Okinawa Trough, whose opening began in recent years, is seriously affected by fluid or other materials carried by subducting slab and the geochemical feature of volcanic rocks is in some degree similar to that of lavas in island-arc environments.

Magma Evolution Processes in the Southern Okinawa Trough:Insights from Melt Inclusions

The Okinawa Trough is an initial back-arc basin that is influenced by the subduction of the Philippine Sea Plate and develops on the continental crust.The Okinawa Trough is a natural laboratory for the study of basin evolution,magmatism,and crustmantle processes in the early stage of back-arc spreading.Melt inclusions are small droplets of magma that are captured during the mineral crystallization process and can record the geochemical composition changes during magma evolution.In this study,the geochemical compositions of melt inclusions in host plagioclases of two volcanic rock samples at Station nos.9-1 and 9-2 from the southern Okinawa Trough are systematically analyzed.Based on previous studies,the origin and evolution of magma and the introduction of subducting materials in the study area are discussed.Results show that melt inclusions are characterized by the relative enrichment of large-ion lithophile elements,depletion of high-field-strength elements,and slight enrichment of rare earth elements.Indeed,the subduction of the Philippine Sea Plate introduced sediment-derived melts and fluids into the magma source area of the southern Okinawa Trough.Subsequently,4%to 5%partial melting of the hydrated mantle produces basaltic magma.The melt inclusions of andesite and dacite investigated in this study were formed by fractional crystallization of basaltic magma.Finally,the crystallization of plagioclase,pyroxene,and magnetite occurred during the late stage of magma evolution.The temperature-pressure data show that the melt inclusions in plagioclase have two capture periods:one is at temperatures above 1250℃and the other is at temperatures between 1180℃and 1200℃.The capture pressure of the inclusions at temperatures between 1180℃and 1200℃is between 5.6 kPa and 6.1 kPa,corresponding to the depth of 15–17 km below the seafloor.The geochemical characteristics of major and trace elements in inclusions show that the samples from two stations(i.e.,9-1 and 9-2)have similar or identical magma source areas.However,the crystallization differentiation reflected by inclusions in sample 9-1 is more obvious than that in sample 9-2.The inclusions were captured during magma evolution and were not contaminated by crustal materials.

Origin and evolution of alkali basaltic magma in the Okinawa Trough

The contents of major element composition of the phenocrysts and the matrix glass as well as the spinel inclusions and the melt inclusion in the phenocrysts of the basalt dredged from Station 133 of the Okinawa Trough are determined by electron microprobe. The results show that the basalt is a dor- galite consisting of phenocrysts of bytownite, chrysolite, clinopyroxene and magnetite as well as labradorite microcrystal, matrix glass and a few bits of broken vein quartz. Glassy melt inclusion and chromohercynite or chrompleonaste exist in bytownite and chrysolite. The formation of the spinels is re- lated to partial melting of mantle. The melt inclusions stand for a primary alkali dorgalitic magma, whose composition corresponds to olivine gabbro. The basaltic magma was generated from partial melting of spinel-lherzolite of the upper mantle and evolved in a process of 'alkali dorgalitic magma-trachy- basaltic magma-basdaltic trachytic magma-trachytic magma'. Assimilation and hybridization of crustal material may exist during magma upwelling in every evolutionary stage.