Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Article
  • Published:

Trace-element fractionation in plumes and the origin of HIMU mantle beneath the Cameroon line

Nature volume 347, pages 523–528 (1990)Cite this article

Abstract

The lavas of the Cameroon line display a lead isotope anomaly at the continent/ocean boundary which can be attributed to a fossil mantle plume, the diminishing lateral effects of which can be recognized as far as 400km to either side. The high 206Pb/204Pb ratio—characteristic of the mantle endmember known as 'HIMU'—seems to arise from U/Pb fractionation accompanying melt migration following emplacement of the plume in the upper mantle 125 Myr ago.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Allègre, C. J. Tectonophysics 81, 109–132 (1982).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  2. Hofmann, A. W. & White, W. M. Earth planet. Sci. Lett. 57, 421–436 (1982).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Storey, M. et al. Nature 336, 371–374 (1988).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Morris, J. D. & Hart, S. R. Geochim. cosmochim. Acta 47, 2015–2030 (1983).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Sleep, N. H. J. geophys. Res. 89, 10029–10041 (1984).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Zindler, A., Staudigel, H. & Batiza, R. Earth planet. Sci. Lett. 70, 175–195 (1984).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Fitton, J. G. & Dunlop, H. M. Earth planet. Sci. Lett. 72, 23–38 (1985).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. White, W. M. Geology 13, 115–118 (1985).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Hart, S. R., Gerlach, D. C. & White, W. M. Geochim. cosmochim. Acta 50, 1551–1557 (1986).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Zindler, A. & Hart, S. A. Rev. Earth planet. Sci. 14, 493–571 (1986).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. White, W. M. & Hofmann, A. W. Nature 196, 821–825 (1982).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  12. Palacz, Z. A. & Saunders, A. D. Earth planet. Sci. Lett. 79, 270–280 (1986).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Nakamura, Y. & Tatsumoto, M. Geomochim. cosmochim. Acta. 52, 2909–2924 (1988).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Vidal, Ph., Chauvel, C. & Brousse, R. Nature 307, 536–538 (1984).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Halliday, A. N., Dickin, A. P., Fallick, A. E. & Fitton, J. B. J. Petrol. 29, 181–211 (1988).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Fitton, J. G., Kilburn, C. R. J., Thirlwall, M. F. & Hughes, D. J. Nature 306, 327–332 (1983).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Gerlach, D. C., Cliff, R. A., Davies, G. R., Norry, M. & Hodgson, N. Geochim. cosmochim. Acta 52, 2979–2992 (1988).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Anthony, E. Y., Segalstad, T. V. & Neuman, E-R. Geochim. cosmochim. Acta 53, 1067–1076 (1989).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Allègre, C. J. Earth planet. Sci. Lett. 5, 261–269 (1969).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  20. Vidal, P. & Dosso, L. Geophys. Res. Lett. 5, 169–172 (1978).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Vollmer, R. Nature 270, 144–147 (1977).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Allègre, C. J., Dupre, B. & Brevart, O. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. A306, 49–59 (1982).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  23. Chase, C. G. Earth planet. Sci. Lett. 52, 277–284 (1981).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. McKenzie, D. & O'Nions, R. K. Nature 301, 229–231 (1983).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. O'Nions, R. K. J. geol. Soc., Lond. 144, 259–274 (1987).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Menzies, M. A. & Wass, S. Y. Earth planet. Sci. Lett. 65, 287–302 (1983).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. O'Nions, R. K., Evensen, N. M. & Hamilton, P. J. J. geophys. Res. 84, 6091–6101 (1979).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Meijer, A. Geophys. Res. Lett. 12, 741–744 (1985).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Meijer, A., Kwon, T-T. & Tilton, G. R. J. geophys. Res. 95, 433–448 (1990).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Fitton, J. G. Spec. Publs geol. Soc. Lond. 30, 273–291 (1987).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  31. Dunlop, H. M. & Fitton, J. G. Contr. Miner. Petrol. 71, 125–131 (1979).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. Lasserre, M. Bull. Bur. Rech. geol. min. Paris 2e Ser., Sect. IV, No. 2, 143–159 (1978).

  33. Cantagrel, J-M., Jamond, C. & Lasserre, M. C. r. somm. Soc. geol. Fr. 6, 300–303 (1978).

    Google Scholar 

  34. Morgan, J. W. Tectonophysics 94, 123–139 (1983).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  35. Fitton, J. G. Earth planet. Sci. Lett. 51, 132–138 (1980).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  36. Dalrymple, G. B., Clague, D. A., Garcia, M. O. & Bright, S. W. Bull. geol. Soc. Am. 92, 315–318 (1981).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  37. Phipps, S. P. Nature 334, 27–31 (1988).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  38. White, R. & McKenzie, D. J. geophys. Res. 94, 7685–7729 (1989).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  39. Schilling, J-G. Nature 314, 62–67 (1985).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  40. Schilling, J-G., Thompson, G., Kingsley, R. & Humphris, S. Nature 313, 187–191 (1985).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  41. Gaier, S. J. G. & O'Nions, R. K. Nature 316, 778–782 (1985).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  42. Newsom, H. E., White, W. M., Jochum, K. P. & Hofmann, A. W. Earth planet. Sci. Lett. 80, 299–313 (1986).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  43. Cohen, R.S. & O'Nions, R. K. J. Petrol. 23, 299–324 (1982).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  44. Griffiths, R. W., Gurnis, M. & Eitelberg, G. Geophys. J. 96, 477–495 (1989).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  45. Olson, P. & Singer, H. J. Fluid Mech. 158, 511–531 (1985).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  46. Griffiths, R. W. Earth planet. Sci. Lett. 78, 435–446 (1986).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  47. Griffiths, R. W. Phys. Earth planet. Inter. 43, 261–273 (1986).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  48. Griffiths, R. W. J. Fluid Mech. 166, 115–138 (1986).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  49. White, W. M., Hofmann, A. W. & Puchelt, H. J. geophys. Res. 92, 4881–4893 (1987).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  50. McKenzie, D. Earth planet. Sci. Lett. 74, 81–91 (1985).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  51. Langmuir, C. H., Bender, J. F., Bence, A. E. & Hanson, G. N. Earth planet. Sci. Lett. 36, 133–156 (1977).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  52. Seitz, M. G. Yb Carnegie Instn Wash. 72, 551–553 (1973).

    Google Scholar 

  53. Watson, E. B., Ben Othman, D., Luck, J-M. & Hofmann, A. W. Chem. Geol. 62, 191–208 (1987).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  54. Vollmer, R. & Norry, M. J. Nature 301, 141–143 (1983).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  55. Halliday, A. N. et al. Earth planet. Sci. Lett. 94, 274–290 (1989).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Author notes

  1. Jon P. Davidson & Peter Holden

    Present address: Department of Earth and Space Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, California, 90024, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geological Sciencies, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 48109–1063, USA

    Alex N. Halliday, Jon P. Davidson, Peter Holden, Charles DeWolf & Der-Chuen Lee

  2. Grant Institute of Geology, University of Edinburgh, West Mains Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3JW, UK

    J. Godfrey Fitton

Authors
  1. Alex N. Halliday
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Jon P. Davidson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Peter Holden
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Charles DeWolf
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Der-Chuen Lee
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. J. Godfrey Fitton
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Halliday, A., Davidson, J., Holden, P. et al. Trace-element fractionation in plumes and the origin of HIMU mantle beneath the Cameroon line. Nature 347, 523–528 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1038/347523a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/347523a0

This article is cited by

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing