Hydrogen and oxygen isotope behaviors during variable degrees of upper mantle melting: Example from the basaltic glasses from Macquarie Island

We present measurements of hydrogen and oxygen isotopes in MORB glasses from Macquarie Island (SW. Pacific Ocean) coupled with determination of bulk H2O content by two independent techniques: total dehydration and FTIR. The incompatible trace elements in these glasses vary by a factor of 12 to 17, with K2O varying from 0.1 to 1.7 wt.%; these ranges reflect a variable degree of closed-system mantle melting, estimated from 1 to 15%. Water concentrations determined by the two techniques match well, yielding a range from 0.25 to 1.49 wt.% which correlates positively with all of the measured incompatible trace elements, suggesting that water is un-degassed, and behaves conservatively during mantle melting. Also, the agreement between the FTIR-determined and extracted water contents gives us confidence that the measured isotopic values of hydrogen reflect that of the mantle. Comparison of the range of water content with that of other incompatible trace elements allows estimation of the water partition coefficient in lherzolite, 0.0208 (ranging from 0.017 to 0.023), and the water content in the source, 386 ppm (ranging from 370 to 440 ppm). We observe a fairly narrow range in δD and δ18O values of − 75.5 ± 4.5‰ and 5.50 ± 0.05‰ respectively, that can be explained by partial melting of normal lherzolitic mantle. The measured δD and δ18O values of Macquarie Island glasses that range from nepheline- to hypersthene-normative, and from MORB to EMORB in composition, are identical to those in average global MORB. The observed lack of variation of δD and δ18O with 1 to 15% degree of mantle melting is consistent with a bulk melting model of δD and δ18O fractionation, in which water is rapidly scavenged into the first partial melt. The narrow ranges of δD and δ18O in normal mantle are mostly due to the buffering effect of clino- and orthopyroxenes in the residual assemblage; additionally, fast “wet” diffusion of oxygen and hydrogen isotopes through the melting regions may further smooth isotopic differences.

Research highlights
► Variable-degree (1 to 15%) partial melts occur as glasses on Macquarie Island, SW Pacific Ocean.
► They contain undegassed mantle water that vary from 0.25 to 1.5 wt.%.
► Hydrogen and oxygen isotopic investigation yields very narrow, canonical isotopic values for the mantle.
► Little isotope fractionation occurs from 1 to 15% of mantle melting.
► Mantle pyroxenes buffer O and H isotopic values during melting.