Mantle upwelling within the Pannonian Basin: evidence from xenolith lithology and mineral chemistry

Abstract

Five spinel lherzolite xenoliths hosted in Neogene alkali basalts from the marginal parts of the Pannonian Basin (Styrian Basin in Austria and Persani Mts. in the Eastern Transylvanian Basin, Romania) contain orthopyroxene–clinopyroxene–spinel clusters, which are believed to represent former garnet in lherzolitic mantle material. ‘Palaeo’ equilibrium pressure of this former garnet lherzolite was estimated to be equivalent to depths of 90–120 km using calculated garnet compositions and measured orthopyroxene compositions from the clusters. ‘Neo’ equilibrium pressures of the xenoliths indicate depths of 55–65 km, suggesting c. 50–60 km uprise of the mantle section represented by these xenoliths. This petrological result confirms the observations from previous geophysical studies that significant mantle uplift has occurred beneath the Pannonian Basin.