Hf isotope evidence for pelagic sediments in the source of hawaiian basalts

Science. 1999 Aug 6;285(5429):879-82. doi: 10.1126/science.285.5429.879.

Abstract

Lead, oxygen, and osmium isotopic ratios measured on Hawaiian basalts can be matched with the isotopic ratios inferred for recycled ancient oceanic crust. High-precision hafnium isotopic data for lavas from several Hawaiian volcanoes identify old pelagic sediments in their source. These observations support the recycling hypothesis, whereby the mantle source of ocean island basalts includes ancient subducted oceanic crust. Hyperbolic lead-hafnium isotopic relations among Hawaiian basalts further indicate that upper mantle material is not involved in the production of hot spot basalts.