Continental Thermal Blanketing Explains the Compositional Dichotomy of the Diffuse Basaltic Province Across Central‐Eastern Asia

Abstract A diffuse magmatic province covering central‐eastern Asia continent displays a compositional transition at 120–100 Ma and probably reflects melting initiation in isotopically enriched lithospheric mantle, followed by melting of the asthenosphere. However, the cause for the transition across...

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Main Authors: Hong‐Kun Dai, Jian‐Ping Zheng, Qing Xiong, William L. Griffin, Suzanne Y. O’Reilly
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2023-09-01
Series:Geophysical Research Letters
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1029/2023GL104951
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author Hong‐Kun Dai
Jian‐Ping Zheng
Qing Xiong
William L. Griffin
Suzanne Y. O’Reilly
author_facet Hong‐Kun Dai
Jian‐Ping Zheng
Qing Xiong
William L. Griffin
Suzanne Y. O’Reilly
author_sort Hong‐Kun Dai
collection DOAJ
description Abstract A diffuse magmatic province covering central‐eastern Asia continent displays a compositional transition at 120–100 Ma and probably reflects melting initiation in isotopically enriched lithospheric mantle, followed by melting of the asthenosphere. However, the cause for the transition across such a vast landmass remains poorly constrained. Here, analyses of newly found Chaoge basalts (∼95 Ma, central Asia) and compiled data from across the basaltic province are combined to reveal the factors controlling the basalt dichotomy. The Chaoge basalts are considered to originate from a hot pyroxenite‐bearing asthenosphere with potential temperatures of ∼1,450°C, overlapping the source thermochemical conditions for most post‐transition basaltic rocks. The asthenosphere in 120–100 Ma is suggested to be hotter and to have controlled the compositional transition in the studied basaltic province. We suggest that asthenospheric warming resulted from prolonged continental thermal blanketing and can account for other diffuse igneous provinces with similar compositional variations and tectonic histories.
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institution DOAJ
issn 0094-8276
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publishDate 2023-09-01
publisher Wiley
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series Geophysical Research Letters
spelling doaj-art-737b296c27044bfaaf56ffbbb7eef2672025-08-20T03:06:04ZengWileyGeophysical Research Letters0094-82761944-80072023-09-015017n/an/a10.1029/2023GL104951Continental Thermal Blanketing Explains the Compositional Dichotomy of the Diffuse Basaltic Province Across Central‐Eastern AsiaHong‐Kun Dai0Jian‐Ping Zheng1Qing Xiong2William L. Griffin3Suzanne Y. O’Reilly4State Key Laboratory of Geological Processes and Mineral Resources School of Earth Sciences China University of Geosciences Wuhan ChinaState Key Laboratory of Geological Processes and Mineral Resources School of Earth Sciences China University of Geosciences Wuhan ChinaState Key Laboratory of Geological Processes and Mineral Resources School of Earth Sciences China University of Geosciences Wuhan ChinaARC Centre of Excellence for Core to Crust Fluid Systems/GEMOC School of Natural Sciences Macquarie University Sydney NSW AustraliaARC Centre of Excellence for Core to Crust Fluid Systems/GEMOC School of Natural Sciences Macquarie University Sydney NSW AustraliaAbstract A diffuse magmatic province covering central‐eastern Asia continent displays a compositional transition at 120–100 Ma and probably reflects melting initiation in isotopically enriched lithospheric mantle, followed by melting of the asthenosphere. However, the cause for the transition across such a vast landmass remains poorly constrained. Here, analyses of newly found Chaoge basalts (∼95 Ma, central Asia) and compiled data from across the basaltic province are combined to reveal the factors controlling the basalt dichotomy. The Chaoge basalts are considered to originate from a hot pyroxenite‐bearing asthenosphere with potential temperatures of ∼1,450°C, overlapping the source thermochemical conditions for most post‐transition basaltic rocks. The asthenosphere in 120–100 Ma is suggested to be hotter and to have controlled the compositional transition in the studied basaltic province. We suggest that asthenospheric warming resulted from prolonged continental thermal blanketing and can account for other diffuse igneous provinces with similar compositional variations and tectonic histories.https://doi.org/10.1029/2023GL104951
spellingShingle Hong‐Kun Dai
Jian‐Ping Zheng
Qing Xiong
William L. Griffin
Suzanne Y. O’Reilly
Continental Thermal Blanketing Explains the Compositional Dichotomy of the Diffuse Basaltic Province Across Central‐Eastern Asia
Geophysical Research Letters
title Continental Thermal Blanketing Explains the Compositional Dichotomy of the Diffuse Basaltic Province Across Central‐Eastern Asia
title_full Continental Thermal Blanketing Explains the Compositional Dichotomy of the Diffuse Basaltic Province Across Central‐Eastern Asia
title_fullStr Continental Thermal Blanketing Explains the Compositional Dichotomy of the Diffuse Basaltic Province Across Central‐Eastern Asia
title_full_unstemmed Continental Thermal Blanketing Explains the Compositional Dichotomy of the Diffuse Basaltic Province Across Central‐Eastern Asia
title_short Continental Thermal Blanketing Explains the Compositional Dichotomy of the Diffuse Basaltic Province Across Central‐Eastern Asia
title_sort continental thermal blanketing explains the compositional dichotomy of the diffuse basaltic province across central eastern asia
url https://doi.org/10.1029/2023GL104951
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