Large igneous provinces: Sites of plume impact or plume incubation?

Abstract

Research Article| October 01, 1992 Large igneous provinces: Sites of plume impact or plume incubation? R. W. Kent; R. W. Kent 1Department of Geology, University of Leicester, Leicester LE1 7RH, England Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar M. Storey; M. Storey 1Department of Geology, University of Leicester, Leicester LE1 7RH, England Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar A. D. Saunders A. D. Saunders 1Department of Geology, University of Leicester, Leicester LE1 7RH, England Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Geology (1992) 20 (10): 891–894. https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(1992)020<0891:LIPSOP>2.3.CO;2 Article history first online: 02 Jun 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation R. W. Kent, M. Storey, A. D. Saunders; Large igneous provinces: Sites of plume impact or plume incubation?. Geology 1992;; 20 (10): 891–894. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(1992)020<0891:LIPSOP>2.3.CO;2 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGeology Search Advanced Search Abstract Large igneous provinces, representing prodigious volumes of basalt erupted through continental and oceanic crust, are believed to be associated with high-temperature mantle plumes incident at the base of the lithosphere. Recent "plume initiation" models for continental flood-basalt volcanism suggest that material in the plume will intersect the solidus shortly after arriving, or impacting, beneath the lithosphere, so that melting is near-synchronous with plume impact. Beneath continents, however, melting of a plume head is inhibited by the presence of a thick (>125 km) mechanical boundary layer, which must be thinned and removed by conductive heating and melt injection before significant basalt production can occur. This necessitates a period of plume incubation, characterized by lithosphere extension and doming, by the establishment of long- lived paleodrainage patterns, and, laterally, by the intrusion of alkalic magmas. Field evidence from rive major igneous provinces indicates that plume incubation is a more appropriate model than simple plume impact for continental flood-basalt volcanism. This content is PDF only. Please click on the PDF icon to access. First Page Preview Close Modal You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.