The behavior of the uranium decay chain nuclides and thorium during the flank eruptions of Kilauea (Hawaii) between 1983 and 1985

Journal Article · Sun Dec 01 00:00:00 EST 1991 · Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0016-7037(91)90071-C· OSTI ID:7206238

Reinitz, I M; Turekian, K K ^[1]

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1. Yale Univ., New Haven, CT (United States)

The concentrations of members of the {sup 238}U decay chain and {sup 232}Th have been determined for the lavas that erupted on the East Rift Zone of Kilauea Volcano, Hawaii (Puu Oo) between January 1983 and January 1985. There was a decrease during the first 180 days in the abundances of all nuclides, following the behavior of the incompatible elements. ({sup 230}Th/{sup 238}U) varies with ({sup 232}Th/{sup 238}U) yielding a batch process age for the source magma of 127,800 {plus minus} 28,500 (2{omega}) y, similar to East Pacific Rise basalts. No ({sup 226}Ra/{sup 230}Th) disequilibrium was evident at Puu Oo although Haleakala and Loihi show significant excesses of ({sup 226}Ra) over ({sup 230}Th). The initial ({sup 210}Pb) excess relative to ({sup 226}Ra) implies strong incompatibility of {sup 210}Pb probably with the help of chloride complexing, and the deficiency in later episodes indicates volatilization from the melt mediated by the formation of volatile chloride compounds.

• DOE Contract Number: FG02-87ER60576
• OSTI ID: 7206238
• Journal Information: Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta; (United States), Vol. 55:12; ISSN 0016-7037
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

58 GEOSCIENCES
BASALT
ISOTOPE DATING
ISOTOPE RATIO
PETROGENESIS
KILAUEA VOLCANO
GEOLOGIC MODELS
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
ERUPTION
GEOCHEMISTRY
HAWAII
LAVA
MAGMATISM
RADIUM 226
THORIUM 230
THORIUM 232
URANIUM 238
ACTINIDE ISOTOPES
ACTINIDE NUCLEI
AGE ESTIMATION
ALKALINE EARTH ISOTOPES
ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
CARBON 14 DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
CHEMISTRY
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
FEDERAL REGION IX
HEAVY ION DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
HEAVY NUCLEI
IGNEOUS ROCKS
ISOTOPES
NEON 24 DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
NORTH AMERICA
NUCLEI
RADIOISOTOPES
RADIUM ISOTOPES
ROCKS
SPONTANEOUS FISSION RADIOISOTOPES
THORIUM ISOTOPES
URANIUM ISOTOPES
USA
VOLCANIC ROCKS
VOLCANOES
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
580000* - Geosciences