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Volcanism and continental break up: a global compilation of large igneous provinces

Version 2 2025-01-15, 00:59
Version 1 2023-05-17, 08:50
journal contribution
posted on 2025-01-15, 00:59 authored by Mike CoffinMike Coffin, O Eldholm
Large igneous provinces (LIPs) include continental flood basalts and associated intrusive rocks, volcanic passive margins, oceanic plateaus, submarine ridges, seamount groups, and ocean basin flood basalts. In some cases transient episodes of voluminous magmatism are temporally and spatially related to continental break-up, e.g. North Atlantic Volcanic Province, Deccan Traps, Paraná-Etendeka basalts. In other cases, however, no relationships are apparent, e.g. Siberian flood basalts, Columbia River flood basalts. Herein we review LIPs worldwide in order to better understand their relationship to the break-up and separation of lithospheric plates. The two most voluminous episodes known of basaltic magmatism not associated with the creation of 'normal' oceanic crust, the emplacements of the Ontong Java and Kerguelen plateaus, do not appear to be linked to continental break-up. Volcanic passive margins have now been identified on the edges of many continents, and are clearly related to continental break-up and separation. They cannot always, however, be tied to continental flood basalts. Ocean basin flood basalts and seamount groups are not commonly related to continental break-up. In most instances submarine ridges show temporal and spatial relationships with continental flood basalt provinces or oceanic plateaus. Observational data suggest that existing models do not adequately explain all LIPs; we suggest that a thermally and chemically heterogeneous asthenosphere, occasionally penetrated by deep mantle plumes, can account for their origin. © The Geological Society 1992.

History

Publication title

Geological Society Special Publication

Volume

68

Issue

1

Pagination

17-30

ISSN

0305-8719

Department/School

Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies

Publisher

Geological Society Publishing House

Publication status

  • Published

Place of publication

London

Rights statement

Copyright 1992 The Geological Society

Socio-economic Objectives

280107 Expanding knowledge in the earth sciences

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