Collaborative Research: Magmatism of the Baikal Rift, USSR:Asthenospheric Upwelling Along a Lithospheric Boundary

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We propose to advance the Baikal project by concentrating on characterization of the 150 samples currently in hand. No travel to the USSR is planned under the aegis of 1990-91 funding. If results of our analytical work warrant additional field studies and collecting, we will formulate a new proposal based on these results. The SMU portion of the project will focus on obtaining K-Ar dates, and on mineral chemistry. The new dates are essential, because we intend to evaluate the geochemical variations among lavas in a temporal-spatial framework. We have found the Soviet dates to be completely unreliable. I will contract for approximately 20 dates on whole-rock basalt samples. As the whole-rock geochemistry and isotopic analyses will be done at Washington University, it is appropriate that the mineral chemistry work be done at SMU. I will perform microprobe analyses of phenocrysts, xenocrysts, and xenoliths. The budget includes funds for travel to St. Louis in order to allow us to get together after the sample characterization phase, integrate our data, and arrive at interpretations of the results. Dr. Sergey Rasskazov, with whom we are collaborating, has been invited to spend a month in the laboratories of Luhr and Bowring during late 1990 in order to maintain project momentum and facilitate cooperation.