Simultaneous intruding of mafic and felsic magmas into the extending continental crust caused by mantle plume underplating: 2D magmatic-thermomechanical modeling and implications for the Paleoproterozoic Karelian Craton

• Published in: Tectonophysics 2022-01, Vol.822, p.229173, Article 229173
• Main Authors: Zakharov, V.S., Lubnina, N.V., Stepanova, A.V., Gerya, T.V.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Continental crust; Cratons; Decompression; Extension; Fault lines; Geological data; Geological faults; Intrusion; Intrusions; Karelian craton; Lava; Magma; Mantle plumes; Mathematical models; Melting; Modeling; Modelling; Numerical models; Ocean circulation; Plume; Rock intrusions; Thermomechanical analysis; Two dimensional models; Upwelling
• ISSN: 0040-1951; 1879-3266
• DOI: 10.1016/j.tecto.2021.229173

Available data suggest that the breakup of the Neoarchean Kenorland supercontinent at 2.5–2.4 Ga was likely triggered by a large mantle plume upwelling that caused significant magmatism. Here, we present 2D high-resolution magmatic-thermomechanical numerical models of extension of the continental crust underplated by a hot mantle plume material. Using this model, it is demonstrated that mantle plume underplating generates a large amount of mafic melt by decompression melting. This melt penetrates into the extending continental crust along normal faults thereby forming multiple generations of mafic dyke-like intrusions along normal faults. In case of extension velocity of 0.2–1 cm/yr, lower crustal heating and hot mafic melt emplacement may cause partial melting of the continental crust that can generate significant volume of felsic melts. This in turn triggers emplacement of felsic intrusions that temporarily and spatially associate with the mafic dyke-like intrusions. The modeling results agree well with geological data from the Karelian Craton and provide possible explanation for the observed association of Paleoproterozoic mafic dykes and felsic intrusions which formed in a relatively short time interval (up to 20 Myrs) in the early stages of the supercontinent breakup. •Melting of the plume produces multiple generations of mafic dyke-like intrusions in the extending continental crust.•Thermal impact of mantle plume with slow extension causes generation of felsic intrusions coeval with the mafic intrusions.•Results provide an explanation for the association of Paleoproterozoic mafic and felsic dykes within the Karelian Craton.