Geochemistry of deep Manihiki Plateau crust: Implications for compositional diversity of large igneous provinces in the Western Pacific and their genetic link

Geochemical studies revealed two major (high- and low-Ti) magmatic series composing the Manihiki Plateau in the Western Pacific. Here we report new geochemical data (major and trace element and Sr-Nd-Pb isotope compositions) of the Manihiki rocks. The rocks belong to the previously rarely sampled high-Ti Manihiki series and represent a section of deep crust of the plateau. The rocks were collected by remotely operated vehicle ROV Kiel 6000 during R/V SONNE SO225 expedition from a tectonic block at a stretched and faulted boundary between the Northern and Western Manihiki sub-plateaus. Additional data is presented on samples obtained by dredging during the same cruise. Judging from the age of stratigraphically higher lavas, most samples must be ≥125 Ma old. They comprise fully crystalline microdolerites, aphyric and Ol-Px-Pl-phyric basalts and breccias metamorphosed under greenschist to amphibolite facies with peak metamorphic temperatures of 636-677 °C and pressures of 2.0-2.7 kbar. A single sample of hornblende gabbro was also recovered and likely represents a late stage intrusion. Despite strong metamorphism, the samples from the ROV profile reveal only minor to moderate chemical alteration and their initial compositions are well preserved. The rocks are relatively primitive with MgO up to 13 wt%, range from enriched to depleted in LREE (LaN/SmN = 0.7-1.1), exhibit variable but mostly depleted Nb contents (Nb/Nb* = 0.8-1.3) and display only a narrow range in isotope compositions with strong EM1 characteristics (εNd (t) = 1.8-3.6, 206Pb/204Pb (t) = 17.9-18.1, 207Pb/204Pb (t) = 15.49-15.53, 208Pb/204Pb (t) = 38.08-38.42). The parental magmas are interpreted to originate from a thermochemical plume with a potential mantle temperature >1460 °C. The trace element and isotope EM1 signature of the high-Ti rocks reflects the presence of recycled lower continental crust material or re-fertilized subcontinental lithospheric mantle in the plume source. A highly refractory mantle was the primary source of the low-Ti basalts and could also contribute to the origin of high-Ti basalts. On average a more depleted mantle source for the Manihiki rocks can explain ~30% lower crustal thickness of this plateau compared to Ontong Java Plateau, which was mainly formed by melting of similarly hot but more fertile mantle. The presently available data suggest that the sources of Ontong Java and Manihiki Plateaus were compositionally different and could represent two large domains of a single plume or two contemporaneous but separate plumes.