The Significance of Metasomatized Continental Lithospheric Mantle in Flood Basalt Formation - Constraints From Mantle Xenoliths Beneath NW Namibia

EAR-9909255ClassTwo捕虏岩套在纳米比亚西北部提供了一个独特的机会，可以直接采样主要的巴拉那-埃滕代卡大陆溢流玄武岩省附近的大陆岩石圈地幔和下地壳。其中一个捕虏体位于早期特里斯坦岩柱的影响范围内，另一个位于岩柱影响以南，但在同一地壳单元内。对这些包体样品的详细微量元素和同位素分析(锶、钕、铅)，以及早期岩柱和亏损软流圈岩浆的现有地球化学数据，将被用来检验大陆溢流玄武岩实际源区的现有模型。这个项目是与南非开普敦大学的安东·勒·罗克斯博士合作完成的。

EAR-9909255ClassTwo xenolith suites in NW Namibia provide a unique opportunity to sample directly the continental lithospheric mantle and lower crust in the vicinity of the major Parana-Etendeka continental flood basalt province. One xenolith locality falls within the sphere of influence of the early Tristan plume, whereas the second lies to the south of the plume influence, but within the same crustal unit. Detailed trace element and isotope analyses (Sr, Nd, Pb) on selected samples of these xenolith suites, together with available geochemical data on magmas from the early plume and depleted asthenosphere, will be used to test current models for the actual source regions of continental flood basalts. This project is collaborative endeavor with Dr. Anton le Roex, of the University of Cape Town UCT, South Africa.