Review
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Yiming Liu, Sanzhong Li, Qingguo Zhai, Yue Tang, Peiyuan Hu, Runhua Guo, Yongjiang Liu, Yuhua Wang, Shengyao Yu, Huahua Cao, Jie Zhou, Guangzeng Wang
Summary: This study focuses on the significance of Jurassic subduction of the Bangong-Nujiang Tethys Ocean, identifying two stages of northward and southward subduction, indicating a complex geological evolution in the Tibetan Plateau.
EARTH-SCIENCE REVIEWS
(2022)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Xiao-Wen Zeng, Ming Wang, Hang Li, Peng Chi, Di Shen
Summary: This paper confirms the formation of Early Jurassic intra-oceanic subduction within the Bangong-Nujiang suture and its impact on upper plate extension, based on new petrological, geochemical, and geochronological data.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Yao-Liang Ma, Yun Zhong, Harald Furnes, Qiangba Zhaxi, Jie-Hui Pang, Wei-Liang Liu, Bin Xia
Summary: The Shiquanhe boninite dikes, located in the Meso-Tethyan Bangong-Nujiang suture zone in Tibet, are characterized by high MgO and enrichment in light rare earth elements, indicating their origin from a depleted mantle source replenished by subducted sediments. These newly discovered boninite dikes provide crucial evidence of island arc affinity for the Shiquanhe ophiolite, showcasing their rarity in orogenic belts on Earth.
JOURNAL OF ASIAN EARTH SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Bo-Chuan Zhang, Jian-Jun Fan, An-Bo Luo, Xiao-Wen Zeng
Summary: This paper reports the first identified oceanic core complex (OCC) in the Saibucuo area of the Bangong-Nujiang suture zone and describes its geology and petrology. Zircon U-Pb ages and Lu-Hf isotopes, as well as whole-rock major-and trace-elements and Sr-Nd isotopes, were obtained for the diabase dikes in this OCC. The Saibucuo OCC shows similarities to OCCs found in mid-ocean ridge settings, and the data suggests that it formed around 190 million years ago. Based on these findings, the tectonic evolution of the Meso-Tethys Ocean during the early Mesozoic period was reconstructed.
JOURNAL OF ASIAN EARTH SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Neng Gong, Hui Qi, Jun Li, Guo-Li Yuan, Gen-hou Wang, Xiao Liang, Zhi-Bo Liu
Summary: This study reports the geochronological and geochemical data of granodiorites from the Rigen Co area in central Tibet. The results indicate that these rocks were formed approximately 150 million years ago and display typical adakitic characteristics. The chemical composition suggests that the adakitic granodiorites were derived from partial melting of subducted crust with inputs of overlying sediment. These findings provide new constraints on the Jurassic geodynamic evolution of the Bangong-Nujiang Ocean subduction.
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Chen Ji, Li-Long Yan, Lu Lu, Xin Jin, Qiangtai Huang, Kai-Jun Zhang
Summary: This study reveals that the Late Cretaceous Anduo volcanic rocks in the southern Qiangtang may have originated from the subducted Meso-Tethyan oceanic plateaus, enriching the magmas and contributing to the uplift and growth of the Tibetan plateau. The geochemical modeling shows a complex process of melting and assimilation, with different types of rocks indicating various origins and processes.
Article
Geology
Bin Wang, Chao-Ming Xie, Carlos A. Spier, Yong-Sheng Dong, Yun-Peng Yu, Yu-Hang Song, Meng-Long Duan, Chris Yakymchuk
Summary: This study provides new insights into the late Paleozoic tectonic evolution of the Lhasa terrane and the subduction of the Sumdo Paleo-Tethys ocean. The analysis of sample data suggests that middle Permian magmatism occurred in an intra-oceanic subduction setting in the Sumdo Paleo-Tethys ocean.
INTERNATIONAL GEOLOGY REVIEW
(2023)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Fuwei Xie, Juxing Tang
Summary: The study reveals that the Late Triassic-Jurassic igneous rocks in the southern Lhasa subterrane can be divided into two groups with different geochemical characteristics. These magmatic activities were controlled by double subduction, with Group 1 forming in an intraoceanic arc setting and Group 2 forming in a continental margin arc setting.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Chenwei Li, Min Zeng, Si Chen, Xiaoyu Jin, Wenbin Cheng
Summary: The study on trench deposits of the Mugagangri Group reveals the complete evolution of provenance at the South Qiangtang terrane margin, from passive to active margin transition and continental-arc development. The findings suggest that the initial subduction of Meso-Tethys beneath South Qiangtang Terrane was contemporaneous to other Cimmerian terranes, indicating a uniform response to the closure of Paleo-Tethys and collision between Eurasia and Cimmeria.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Zuolin Tian, Zeming Zhang, Philip M. Piccoli, Xin Dong
Summary: The timing of ocean closure and thermal evolution of the crust in the Bangong-Nujiang suture zone in central Tibet remains controversial. This study used petrology, zircon U-Pb geochronology, and phase equilibrium modeling to investigate the P-T-t paths of retrograde eclogites and retrograde granulites from the Amdo complex, revealing different evolution histories for the two rock types.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Wei-Qi Zhang, Chuan-Zhou Liu, Tong Liu, Chang Zhang, Zhen-Yu Zhang
Summary: Lower crusts of oceanic plateaus are rarely studied, but research on the Pengco Complex in central Tibet reveals the presence of lower crust from an oceanic plateau formed around 188 Ma. The lower crust has distinct mineral crystallization and geochemical features, indicating a different origin than mid-ocean ridge cumulates.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Suhua Jiang, Yan Jiang, Yiming Liu, Sanzhong Li, Wen Zhang, Gang Wang, Leilei Lu, Ian Somerville
Summary: This study examined the geological evolution and structural features of the Tibet Plateau region by analyzing the deep structure, gravity anomalies, and tectonic processes associated with the Bangong-Nujiang Suture Zone. The findings reveal a complex history of convergence, collision, and uplift that shaped the eastern Neo-Tethys Ocean. The closure of the Bangong-Nujiang Ocean marked the extinction of the eastern Neo-Tethys, with scissor-style movement from east to west during the Jurassic to Cretaceous period.
EARTH-SCIENCE REVIEWS
(2021)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
An-Bo Luo, Jian-Jun Fan, De-You Sun, Hao Wu, Yun-Peng Yu, Bo-Chuan Zhang, Di Shen
Summary: Divergent double subduction (DDS) plays a crucial role in tectonic processes, but its geodynamics remains poorly understood. The study of the Meso-Tethys Ocean in central Tibet provides insights into the evolution of a DDS system. The new data from the Gerze area reveal spatial and compositional variations in ca. 105 Ma magmatism as a response to slab breakoff, confirming the existence of breakoff in the DDS model and emphasizing the complex magmatic response it can cause.
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Peng Yang, Qiang-tai Huang, Kai-Jun Zhang, Argyrios Kapsiotis, Hao Zheng, Tou-Ping Peng, Renjie Zhou, Qing-Kun Yang, Wen-xing Luo, Bin Xia
Summary: This paper reports the coexistence of large-scale mid-ocean ridge basalt (MORB)-like and enormous ocean island basalt (OIB)-type rocks in the Dongco ophiolitic rocks of the Bangong-Nujiang Suture Zone. The MORB-like rocks have tholeiitic geochemical characteristics and are derived from a depleted mantle source, while the OIB-type rocks have alkaline characteristics and are derived from an enriched mantle source representing remnants of a Meso-Tethyan oceanic plateau.
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Bin Zhao, Ren-Deng Shi, Hai-Bo Zou, Sheng-Sheng Chen, Qi-Shuai Huang, Ya-Li Sun, Jing-Sui Yang
Summary: The newly recognized boninite-series volcanic rocks from Rutog may have formed more than 20 Ma after the latest regional magmatism related to subduction process, originating from a severely depleted mantle modified by continental crust interaction. This may provide an example of crust-mantle interaction as a result of delamination in a partially thickened and cratonized convergent margin during the late Cretaceous within BNSZ, central Tibetan Plateau.
Article
Geology
Qiu-Huan Li, Kai-Jun Zhang, Li-Long Yan, Xin Jin
Summary: This study reports the geological characteristics of magmatic rocks in the Chanv area of the southernmost margin of the western Lhasa block in western China, offering insights into the contrasting features of late Permian and late Triassic magmatic rocks through geochemical, geochronological, and Hf isotopic analyses. The data suggests a switch in tectonic environment from post-break-up to arc-related setting, providing evidence for the initiation of Neo-Tethys subduction between 255 Ma and 214 Ma.
INTERNATIONAL GEOLOGY REVIEW
(2021)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Xin Jin, Yu-Xiu Zhang, Donna L. Whitney, Kai-Jun Zhang, Natalie H. Raia, Clementine Hamelin, Jun-Cheng Hu, Lu Lu, Xiao-Yao Zhou, Shahbaz Bin Khalid
Summary: The discovery of the Baqing eclogite-bearing high-pressure metamorphic complex in central Tibet, China, provides a unique opportunity to study the processes of exhumation, the origin of subduction-related magmatism, and the crustal structure. This research helps to better understand the subduction and exhumation processes that play a key role in crustal recycling, and sheds light on the geological characteristics and composition of the region.
GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA BULLETIN
(2021)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Pengpeng Huangfu, Zhong-Hai Li, Kai-Jun Zhang, Weiming Fan, Junmeng Zhao, Yaolin Shi
Summary: The ongoing India-Asia collision has a major influence on the far-field deformation of the Tian Shan, with the direct collision with the Tarim block playing a crucial role. The results also confirm a time lag of over 30 million years between the initial India-Asia collision and the far-field building of the Tian Shan.
GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2021)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Yiwen Ju, Kun Yu, Guangzeng Wang, Wuyang Li, Kaijun Zhang, Shihu Li, Lingli Guo, Ying Sun, Hongye Feng, Peng Qiao, Raza Ali
Summary: The destruction of the North China Craton is a significant event in the global cratonic evolution history. The NCC has undergone a long period of tectonic superposition and reconstruction since the Proterozoic, resulting in assorted differentiation and basin types. The Meso-Cenozoic magmatic-thermal activity in the NCC is a result of material and energy exchanges caused by the vertical effect of the crust-mantle interaction.
EARTH-SCIENCE REVIEWS
(2021)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Guangyou Zhu, Kai-Jun Zhang
Summary: The Tarim basin in China is a main target for hydrocarbon exploration and hosts the Early Permian LIP. Six major second-order domes were identified in this area, characterized by Permian basaltic dykes and volcanic craters, where almost all Paleozoic oil and gas reservoirs are located. The eruption of the LIP is proposed to have created space for oil and gas charge and triggered the rapid release of hydrocarbons, controlling the formation of Paleozoic oil and gas fields.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Pengpeng Huangfu, Zhong-Hai Li, Weiming Fan, Kai-Jun Zhang, Yaolin Shi
Summary: This study establishes thermo-mechanical models to investigate the factors controlling far-field orogenesis. The model results demonstrate that the development of far-field orogenesis is related to the rheological heterogeneity in the overriding lithosphere, and two types of topographic evolution are identified: delayed and discrete distal orogenesis separated from the collision front, and instant distal orogenesis integrated into a growing plateau. These types are analogous to the development of the Kopet Dagh and northern Tibet.
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Peng Yang, Qiang-tai Huang, Kai-Jun Zhang, Argyrios Kapsiotis, Hao Zheng, Tou-Ping Peng, Renjie Zhou, Qing-Kun Yang, Wen-xing Luo, Bin Xia
Summary: This paper reports the coexistence of large-scale mid-ocean ridge basalt (MORB)-like and enormous ocean island basalt (OIB)-type rocks in the Dongco ophiolitic rocks of the Bangong-Nujiang Suture Zone. The MORB-like rocks have tholeiitic geochemical characteristics and are derived from a depleted mantle source, while the OIB-type rocks have alkaline characteristics and are derived from an enriched mantle source representing remnants of a Meso-Tethyan oceanic plateau.
Editorial Material
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Kai-Jun Zhang, Qiang-Tai Huang, Jiangong Wei, Tonguc Uysal, Lu Lu
FRONTIERS IN EARTH SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Shuhong Zhou, Caibo Hu, Kai-Jun Zhang, Felipe Orellana-Rovirosa, Yaolin Shi
Summary: This study investigates the development of the Liupan Shan fold-and-thrust belt in the NE Tibetan Plateau and its dynamic mechanisms using 2-D viscoelastic plastic finite element models. The results suggest that both shallow and deep detachments play important roles in controlling the evolution of surface deformation and fold-and-thrust belt. The study highlights the significance of plastic rheology in the deep crust.
GEOPHYSICAL JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL
(2022)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Qiu-Huan Li, Xi-Chong Hu, Kai-Jun Zhang, Bin Xia, Chen Ji, Qiang-Tai Huang, Li-Feng Zhong, Yun Zhong, Lu Lu
Summary: We studied newly discovered granites on North Island, Xisha Islands in the South China Sea, and found that these rocks are characterized by high SiO2 contents, enrichment in light rare earth and large-ion lithophile elements, and depletion in high-field strength elements. The isotopic data suggest that the granitic magmas were derived from partial melting of crustal rocks and mantle-derived melts.
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Qiu-Huan Li, Lu Lu, Kai-Jun Zhang, Li-Long Yan, Pengpeng Huangfu, Jie Hui, Chen Ji
Summary: Late Mesozoic uplift of the Gangdese arc played a crucial role in the evolution of the Tibetan plateau. This study provides insights into the geodynamic mechanisms behind this uplift, suggesting high-temperature partial melting and lithospheric delamination as the potential driving forces.
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Chen Ji, Kai-Jun Zhang, Li-Long Yan
Summary: In this paper, the petrogenesis and tectonic environment of the newly-discovered Pengco listvenite in central Tibet are studied using mineralogical, geochemical, isotopic, and geochronological data. The listvenite is formed from a harzburgite protolith, with enrichment of certain elements due to serpentinization. The xenocrystic zircons in the listvenite have negative epsilon(Hf)(t) values, indicating a continental crustal source, and the age spectra and isotopic ratios suggest the involvement of terrigenous source fluids during formation. The Pengco listvenite is likely formed in a forearc extensional environment during the Late Jurassic in the Bangong Meso-Tethyan ocean.
CONTRIBUTIONS TO MINERALOGY AND PETROLOGY
(2023)
Review
Geology
Ru-Ye Tian, Lu Zeng, Jie Hui, Chen Ji, Kai-Jun Zhang
Summary: In this study, the basic-intermediate dykes in the western Gonghe basin, northeastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau were investigated using petrology, zircon U-Pb geochronology, whole-rock geochemistry, and zircon Lu-Hf isotopes. The results indicate that these dykes were emplaced in the Middle Triassic and originated from enriched mantle metasomatized by subduction-related fluids in a back-arc extensional environment. This study suggests a regional back-arc extensional event occurred in central China during the Middle Triassic.
INTERNATIONAL GEOLOGY REVIEW
(2023)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Lu Lu, Yin -Tao Zhang, Zhuang-Fu Li, Kai -Jun Zhang
Summary: The paper investigates the volcanic rock suite in the Halahatang area of the northern Tarim Basin, including basalt and trachy-andesite. The results show that these rocks were formed approximately 290 million years ago, which is generally synchronous with the main episode of magmatism within the Permian Tarim large igneous province. The compositions of the rocks indicate that the basalt shares similarities with typical oceanic island basalts, while the trachy-andesite shows higher enrichments in incompatible elements. The study reveals close relationships between these rock components and interactions between the lithosphere and mantle during magma evolution.
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Qiang-Tai Huang, Cheng-Lei Zhang, Kai-Jun Zhang, Yuan-Jun Hua, Wen-Chao Chen, Yu-Dong Cao, Peng Cheng
Summary: This paper presents the discovery of Early Jurassic Nb-enriched basalts in the western segment of the Bangong-Nujiang suture zone. These basalts formed in a fore-arc basin setting due to slab rollback in an intra-oceanic subduction zone. The study provides insights into the interaction between oceanic plateau and subducted oceanic slab in the MesoTethyan subduction.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Bin Zhang, Jiaqi Liu, Wen Chen, Zhiliang Zhang, Li Yang, Lei Zhang, Zeyang Zhu, Chunqing Sun, Zhihao Sun
Summary: The eastern Tibetan Plateau is a region with unique topography and active tectonics, making it crucial for studying geodynamics and lithosphere-atmosphere interaction. By integrating new and reported thermochronological data, as well as paleo-crustal thickness reconstruction, this study sheds light on the tectonic deformation, climate-tectonic coupling, and geodynamics of the area.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Zhenhua Tian, Shangwen Zhou, Songtao Wu, Sai Xu, Junping Zhou, Jianchao Cai
Summary: This paper presents a modified method for calculating the lost gas content of shale by analyzing the coring and on-site desorption processes. The method accurately depicts the loss characteristics of free and adsorbed gas and identifies parameters that influence the calculation of in-situ shale gas content. The results demonstrate that the method shows satisfactory applicability in gas loss curve prediction and in-situ gas content estimation.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Pengcheng Li, Jaffar Abbas, Daniel Balsalobre-Lorente, Qingren Wang, Qianxiao Zhang, Syed Ale Raza Shah
Summary: This study explores the factors contributing to sustainability in Pakistan from 1974 to 2018 and finds that emissions from industrial and agriculture sectors have significantly decreased, while the financial sector has not effectively reduced environmental pressure. Therefore, Pakistan needs to adjust its economic policies and ensure the green allocation of financial resources.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Shi Zhou, Ting Zhou, Duo Guan, Yong Yao, Huimin Sun, Ahmed Ali Mosa, Yajie Zuo, Xianqiang Yin
Summary: Graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) has been widely used due to its excellent optical properties and physicochemical stability. The risk of g-C3N4 transport in the environment has been overlooked, but this study investigated its transport behavior in various media. The results showed that flow rate and ionic strength influenced the transport, and the presence of lead (Pb) affected the outflow of g-C3N4. The unique structure of g-C3N4 particles allowed them to deposit in certain media and act as carriers for Pb release.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Xiaolong Qiao, Muntasir Murshed, Mohammad Mahtab Alam, Narasingha Das, Kurshid Khudoykulov, Salman Tariq
Summary: This study examines how macroeconomic factors influence India's carbon emission intensity levels and confirms the impact of factors such as foreign remittance receipts, energy consumption, urbanization, and technological progress. The findings provide policy recommendations for India's carbon emission reduction targets.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Wei Liu, Bo Wan
Summary: Magmatic-hydrothermal systems play a crucial role in transporting materials and potentially affecting Earth's long-term environment. This study investigates the duration of prograde metamorphism induced by fluid infiltration and the amount of carbon released by skarn ore deposits. The findings reveal that skarn ore deposits can efficiently decarbonize CO2 at a high rate, surpassing volcanism in different tectonic settings. The CO2 flux of skarn deposits increases over time and reaches a maximum value at the J/K boundary, providing an important previously unquantified source of outgassing in the subduction zone.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Haikuan Nie, Pei Li, Qing Chen, Zhijun Jin, Quanyou Liu, Wei Dang, Qian Chen, Jianghui Ding, Changbo Zhai
Summary: This study investigates the shale quality and shale gas potential in the upper Ordovician to lower Silurian formations in the Sichuan Basin of southern China. The distribution and characteristics of organic-rich shale are analyzed, aiding in the assessment of shale gas potential and identification of sweet spots.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Najia Saqib, Shujaat Abbas, Ilhan Ozturk, Muntasir Murshed, Malgorzata Tarczynska-Luniewska, Mohammad Mahtab Alam, Waldemar Tarczynski
Summary: This study examines the impact of economic growth, financial development, eco-friendly ICT, renewable energy, and human capital on lowering carbon footprint in the world's top polluting economies from 1993 to 2020. The findings suggest that eco-friendly ICT has the potential to effectively alleviate pollution, and financial development, renewable energy, and environmental technology are proposed as potential solutions for reducing carbon emissions.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Hikmat Salam, Syed Ali Turab, Asghar Ali, M. Qasim Jan, Norasiah Sulaiman, Mohd Basril Iswadi Basori
Summary: The Kahi melange complex in NW Pakistan is an important record of the tectonic evolution between the Indian plate and the Afghan block, consisting of highly dismembered ophiolitic and sedimentary units.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Er-Kun Xue, Wei Wang, David Chew, Manoj K. Pandit, Xin Deng, Yang Tian, Xi-Run Tong, Jun-Hong Zhao
Summary: The study reveals the presence of water-fluxed melting during the Wuyi-Yunkai Orogeny in South China. These water-fluxed melting quartzo-feldspathic migmatites formed during the early Paleozoic and were melted through reactions involving water-saturated quartz, feldspar, biotite, and K-feldspar. The findings highlight the significance of water-fluxed anatexis in the differentiation of the continental crust during orogenesis.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Hadi Shafaii Moghadam, Qiu-Li Li, William L. Griffin, Xian-Hua Li, Orhan Karsli, Christopher J. Spencer, Jose F. Santos, Maria Kirchenbaur, Sobhi Nasir, Suzanne Y. O'Reilly
Summary: Understanding the crustal growth, reworking, and geodynamics of the northern continental margin of Gondwana during the Ediacaran to Silurian times is crucial for the paleogeographic reconstruction of Gondwana. This study uses various analytical methods to evaluate the magmatic history of this region and obtain relevant detrital zircon data. The results provide valuable insights into the crustal evolution and tectonic activities in the northern Gondwana region.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Laura Petrescu, Felix Borleanu, Emanuel Kaestle, Randell Stephenson, Anica Placinta, Oleksandr Ivanovich Liashchuk
Summary: This study investigates the seismic structure of the Eastern European lithosphere and the transition from Precambrian to Phanerozoic Europe. The results show that the crust thickens across the Trans European Suture Zone boundary and the mantle is seismically faster beneath younger terranes. The Precambrian building blocks exhibit contrasting seismic fabrics, with the Baltic orogens characterized by uniform crust and the Sarmatia region showing alternating high and low velocity layers.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Dongya Zou, Hongfu Zhang
Summary: This study analyzes the U-Pb-Hf-O isotopes of zircons in felsic granulite xenoliths from the Fuxin late Cretaceous basalts in the North China Craton to evaluate the role of magma underplating in modifying the Archean lower crust. The results show that long-lived magma underplating occurred beneath the Fuxin region during the Mesozoic, with underplated magmas originating from the lithospheric mantle and later from the depleted asthenospheric mantle. This study concludes that magma underplating not only provided heat for remelting, but also added exotic material and weakened the lower crust, leading to its destruction.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Yu Han, Yingchang Cao, Chao Liang, Keyu Liu, Fang Hao
Summary: A paleoclimate reconstruction based on high-resolution records from lacustrine shale in the Bohai Bay Basin reveals a shift in orbital variability and a humidification event at -41.9 Ma in East Asia. The intensification of the East Asian monsoons at this time was likely a response to the elevated atmospheric pCO2 during the concurrent global warming.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Francesca Innocenzi, Sara Ronca, Stephen Foley, Samuele Agostini, Michele Lustrino
Summary: This study investigates two volcanic provinces in the western branch of the East African Rift and finds that the volcanic products show wide variability in chemical and mineralogical characteristics. Petrographic and geochemical analysis reveals enriched and heterogeneous sub-lithospheric mantle sources. The differences in isotopic features between the two volcanic provinces may indicate changes in the composition, mineralogy, and depth of melting in the lithospheric mantle source.