Collaborative Research: Geochemical Consequences of Slab Breakoff and Lithospheric Delamination: Examples From Turkish Neo-Volcanic Zones

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This collaborative research project, supported by the Office of International Science and Engineering (OISE) and the Petrology and Geochemistry program, addresses issues of lithospheric removal through melting or physical foundering in the Turkish Anatolian volcanic province. Removal of lower crust or mantle lithosphere is invoked to explain diverse geophysical and geomorphological observations in the circum-Mediterranean and elsewhere, including heat flow, topography and synorogenic extension. It is proposed to partner with Turkish researchers to obtain geochemical and isotopic data on young, post-collisional primitive mafic lavas to assess the chemical effects of lithospheric removal where it has been indicated by geophysical studies. Prior isotopic studies of Turkish volcanics are extremely limited despite the utility of these data in addressing the evolution of asthenospheric and lithospheric source regions. The geochemical study will focus on using major and trace element geochemistry and Sr-Nd-Pb-Hf isotopic systematics to discriminate lithospheric vs. asthenospheric + slab-derived components in the source regions beneath the Anatolian volcanic region. This research has immediate application to orogenic and post-orogenic environments worldwide, as well as to studies of: continental evolution, global geochemical cycling, development of geochemical heterogeneities in the convecting asthenosphere, and lithospheric removal in extensional environments. This project builds the human and material capital of Turkish geochemistry through a strong international partnership with young scientists Kürkcüoglu and Alici Sen. ICP-MS lab development at Hacettepe University and the General Directorate of Mineral Research and Exploration will improve their analytical capabilities.