Collaborative research: Isotopic Investigation of Gakkel Ridge peridotites to determine the length scale, origin and age of heterobeneities in the sub-ridge mantle

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Ridge magmatism is by volume the most important chemical differentiation process on the planet. Mapping the chemical and mineralogical heterogeneities in rocks representative of the mantle (i.e., peridotites) and linking them to the lavas erupted on the seafloor (i.e., basalts) provides essential information on Earth's heat budget and helps to constrain mantle convection models. This research carries out geochemical studies of peridotites collected from the Gakkel mid-ocean ridge spreading center on the Arctic seafloor by the 2001 AMORE expedition. This expedition returned a treasure trove of peridotites that is unsurpassed in its extent and preservation. With these rocks, questions fundamental to our understanding of mid-ocean ridge processes can now be answered. Goals of this research include determining compositional variations of the peridotites because this tells us about the structure and heterogeneity of the mantle, examining if melt depletions observed on a local scale are related to the current melting process or represent previous melting events, and determining the age distribution of the sub-ridge mantle that enters the melting zone. Major and trace element analyses, petrography, and neodymium and osmium isotope systematics will be used to help answer these questions. Broader impacts of the work include training students and including middle and high school students and their teachers in the research.