Sr and O Isotope Systematics in the Central Andes: Resolving Crustal and
Mantle Contributions to the Evolution of the Altiplano Puna Magma Body
Abstract
The combination of Sr and O isotopes allow for the determination of
crustal homogenization and hybridization during magma accumulation. We
present oxygen isotope values of mineral separates, whole rock and in
situ Sr isotope ratios of plagioclase from <1 Ma andesitic to
dacitic composition lava flows from four volcanoes in the Central Andes
with geographic relationship to the Altiplano Puna Magma Body (APMB):
Uturuncu (1.1 Ma to 250 ka), Ollagüe (1.2 Ma to 130 ka), Aucanquilcha
(1.04 Ma to 240 ka) and Lascar (49 ka to 0 ka). Sr isotope ratios were
determined in situ using both laser ablation and standard cation
exchange methods of plagioclase phenocryst and on whole rock powders.
Oxygen isotope analyses were determined by laser fluorination of mineral
separates. Mineral separate O isotope data has been re-calculated to
account for mineral-melt 18O/16O-fractionation at various SiO2 contents
to better constrain magma source variations and magma isotope
heterogeneity with time and space. Variation in δ18OWR values for each
lava suite is relatively limited (Lascar - δ18OWR =7.4-9.0‰;
Aucanquilcha- δ18OWR =8.2-9.2‰; Ollagüe- δ18OWR =7.9-9.4‰) with the
exception of Uturuncu which displays a large O isotopic value range
(δ18OWR =8.7-11.4‰). Whole-rock 87Sr/86Sr ratios show a correlation of
the lowest ratios along the arc front and generally increase towards the
center of the APMB. Lascar (87Sr/86Sr= 0.7057-0.7067) and Aucanquilcha
(87Sr/86Sr= 0.7058-0.7068) rocks exhibit the most homogeneous Sr isotope
ratios and δ18OPL values, while Uturuncu exhibits the largest range of
ratios (87Sr/86Sr= 0.7101-0.7165). Furthermore, in situ 87Sr/86Sr ratios
of Uturuncu plagioclase phenocrysts exhibit more variation within a
single crystal (87Sr/86Sr= 0.7098-0.7165) than the observed at all four
volcanoes. Uturuncu magmas contain the highest variability, both in
plagioclase mineral separates and whole rock values, and therefore must
contain high 18O crustal material. This hypothesis is further supported
by the textures and isotopic variation within plagioclase phenocrysts
suggesting repeated crustal contamination followed by mixing occurring
in the shallow crustal reservoir. Conversely, the arc front source is
more homogeneous and hybridized, and arc-front magmas assimilate similar
composition crustal material.