Sanfilippo, A., Pandey, A., Akizawa, N. et al. (26 more authors) (2025) Heterogeneous Earth’s mantle drilled at an embryonic ocean. Nature Communications, 16. 2016. ISSN 2041-1723
Abstract
Mantle processes control plate tectonics and exert an influence on biogeochemical cycles. However, the proportion of mantle sampled in-situ is minimal, as it is buried beneath igneous crust and sediments. Here we report the lithological characteristics of two mantle sections from an embryonic ocean drilled by the International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) in the Tyrrhenian Sea. Contrary to the mantle drilled at Mid Ocean Ridges (MORs) and hyperextended passive margins, our findings reveal exceptionally heterogeneous and fertile mantle lithologies, ranging from fertile lherzolites to depleted harzburgites and dunites, interlayered with pyroxenites. Plagioclase- and clinopyroxene-rich layers, hydrous potassic magmatic veins, and mafic intrusions indicate substantial mantle refertilization and delayed inception of magmatic crust. We propose that magma-poor rifts do not require a chemically depleted mantle, too refractory to melt. Deep lithospheric processes such as mantle refertilization and prolonged lithospheric thinning delayed melt focusing and the formation of a steady-state spreading center.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © The Author(s) 2025. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0). |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Leeds |
Academic Units: | The University of Leeds > Faculty of Environment (Leeds) > School of Earth and Environment (Leeds) |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Publications |
Date Deposited: | 04 Mar 2025 10:33 |
Last Modified: | 04 Mar 2025 10:33 |
Status: | Published online |
Publisher: | Nature Research |
Identification Number: | 10.1038/s41467-025-57121-0 |
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Sustainable Development Goals: | |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:223948 |