EVOLUTION OF THE LITHOSPHERE BENEATH OAHU, HAWAII - RARE-EARTH ELEMENT ABUNDANCES IN MANTLE XENOLITHS

Rare earth element contents of clinopyroxenes in Hawaiian mantle xenoliths from Oahu were determined with an ion microprobe. The analyzed xenoliths are from four vents of the alkali Honolulu Volcanics (HV). Three (Kaau, Pali and Kalihi -KPK) are located close to the caldera of the extinct Koolau shield volcano, and the fourth, Salt Lake Crater (SLC), is on the periphery of the shield volcano. Systematic differences exist in REE contents between clinopyroxenes of the KPK and SLC xenoliths: (1) KPK pyroxenes are typically zoned in REE contents whereas SLC pyroxenes are homogeneous, (2) the LREE-depleted (chondrite-normalized) patterns that characterize many of the KPK xenoliths are not found in SLC xenoliths, and (3) the convex-upward REE patterns that are characteristic of SLC xenoliths are not found in KPK xenoliths. Relative to abyssal peridotites, the LREE-depleted Hawaiian lherzolite pyroxenes (interpreted to be residual oceanic lithosphere) have higher contents of REE, Na2O, TiO2 and FeO, and more modal clinopyroxene. These LREE-depleted Hawaiian xenoliths represent deeper, less-depleted parts of the melting column, whereas the abyssal peridotites represent the uppermost, more strongly depleted part of the mantle. The spoon-shaped, LREE-enriched and convex-upward REE patterns in the xenoliths have resulted from metasomatic enrichment of the lithosphere caused by reaction with magmas that formed the Honolulu Volcanics. A model for the evolution of the oceanic lithosphere is presented in which fractures were the main mode of transport of the Honolulu Volcanics. Metasomatic enrichment resulted from interaction between percolating Honolulu Volcanics magmas and wallrock. The differences between SLC and KPK xenoliths are attributed to chromatographic fractionation effects: SLC xenoliths are postulated to have come from a greater depth where they equilibrated to a larger extent with the percolating magmas than the KPK rocks.