Cape Verde Islands Magma Generation
Item
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Title
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Cape Verde Islands Magma Generation
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Description
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Magma generated at hotspots produces Ocean Island Basalts (OIBs). OIBs have interesting chemical because they are rich in incompatible elements such as rare earth elements and alkalis. This is because OIBs are produced by mantle plumes, which originate at the core-mantle boundary. Most of the mantle at the core-mantle boundary is fertile, meaning that it has never been partially melted. When the mantle is partially melted, the first elements to escape are incompatibles. This means that if the mantle has not been partially melted, it will still be rich in incompatbles. Since the Cape Verde Islands are composed of Ocean Island Basalts, they are rich in incompatibles and alkalis.
Picture from:
Winter, J. D. (n.d.). Igneous and Metamorphic Petrology Class Material.
Retrieved May 6, 2015, from https://www.whitman.edu/geology/winter/
JDW_PetClass.htm
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Creator
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Claire Kojaian
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Mediator
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Tamara Carley
carleyt@lafayette.edu
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Rights Holder
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Lafayette College Department of Geology and Environmental Geosciences
