Does Underthrusting Crust Feed Magmatic Flare‐Ups in Continental Arcs?

Abstract

Abstract Episodic magmatic flare‐ups are documented in many continental arcs worldwide. Yet, the causes of such episodicity and the sources feeding the flare‐ups are not well‐understood. In this study, we use a 1‐D numerical model and scaling analysis to assess the mass balance and thermodynamic feasibility of generating arc magma as a result of partial melting of underthrusted retro‐arc lower crust. Results show the magma volumetric flux or magmatic thickening rate, is directly correlated with the crustal underthrusting rate and the relative timescales of heat transfer and underthrusting. For a continental arc with dimensions similar to the Sierra Nevada arc in California, we show with a constant underthrusting rate of 5 km/Myr, the magmatic thickening rate is 0.1–0.3 km/Myr. This is slightly below the baseline of arc magma thickening rate (∼0.3 km/Myr) from the mantle wedge and accounts for 10%–30% of the magmatic thickening rate during a flare‐up. The cumulative volume of magma generated from the partial melting of a 20‐km‐thick underthrusted lower crust is on the order of 105 km3, about 10%–40% of the estimated magma volume generated during a flare‐up. Therefore, we argue partial melting of underthrusted lower crust plays a partial or subsidiary role in driving a magmatic flare‐up event. Additional melts from the mantle and/or other crustal sources are needed to achieve the observed magmatic output during flare‐ups. The arc root developed by partial melting of the underthrusted crust reduces the time needed to obtain the critical thickness for root foundering, thus influencing the tempo of arc magmatism.

Keywords

• crustal underthrusting
• magmatic flare‐up
• partial melting
• root foundering