Noble gases in submarine pillow basalt glasses from Loihi and Kilauea, Hawaii: A solar component in the Earth

Journal Article · Sun Jan 31 23:00:00 EST 1993 · Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0016-7037(93)90174-U· OSTI ID:6660099

Honda, M; McDougall, I; Patterson, D B; Doulgeris, A ^[1]; Clague, D A ^[2]

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1. Australian National Univ., Canberra (Australia)
2. Geological Survey, Hawaii National Park, HI (United States)

Noble gas elemental and isotopic abundances have been analysed in twenty-two samples of basaltic glass dredged from the submarine flanks of two currently active Hawaiian volcanoes, Loihi Seamount and Kilauea. Neon isotopic ratios are enriched in [sup 20]Ne and [sup 21]Ne by as much as 16% with respect to atmospheric ratios. All the Hawaiian basalt glass samples show relatively high [sup 3]He/[sup 4]He ratios. The high [sup 20]Ne/[sup 22]Ne values in some of the Hawaiian samples, together with correlations between neon and helium systematics, suggest the presence of a solar component in the source regions of the Hawaiian mantle plume. The solar hypothesis for the Earth's primordial noble gas composition can account for helium and neon isotopic ratios observed in basaltic glasses from both plume and spreading systems, in fluids in continental hydrothermal systems, in CO[sub 2] well gases, and in ancient diamonds. These results provide new insights into the origin and evolution of the Earth's atmosphere.

• OSTI ID: 6660099
• Journal Information: Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta; (United States), Journal Name: Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta; (United States) Vol. 57:4; ISSN GCACAK; ISSN 0016-7037
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540110*
BASALT
CARBON
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
CORRELATIONS
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
DIAMONDS
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
ELEMENTAL MINERALS
ELEMENTS
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
EVEN-ODD NUCLEI
FLUIDS
GASES
GEOTHERMAL SYSTEMS
GLASS
HAWAII
HELIUM
HELIUM 3
HELIUM 4
HELIUM ISOTOPES
HYDROTHERMAL SYSTEMS
IGNEOUS ROCKS
ISOTOPE RATIO
ISOTOPES
KILAUEA VOLCANO
LIGHT NUCLEI
MINERALS
NEON
NEON 20
NEON 21
NEON ISOTOPES
NONMETALS
NORTH AMERICA
NUCLEI
ORIGIN
QUANTITATIVE CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
RARE GASES
ROCKS
STABLE ISOTOPES
USA
VOLCANIC ROCKS
VOLCANOES