Intra-arc extension and magmatic evolution in the central

Aleutian arc, Alaska

Bradley S. Singer,* James D. Myers
Department of Geology and Geophysics, University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming 82071

ABSTRACT STRUCTURAL SETTING OF

New geologic, petrologic, and Sr isotope data from Seguam Island, Alaska, reveal sub- MODERN CENTRAL ALEUTIAN ARC
stantial variation in the composition of magmas of the central Aleutian arc. The data indicate VOLCANIC CENTERS
that variable magmatic processes occur along the strike of the arc. Seguam is situated on Modern, post-5 Ma volcanic centers of the
extended arc crust and has erupted voluminous basalt and dacite. In contrast to basalt from central and western Aleutian arc are built upon
adjacent volcanic centers atop unextended crust, which evolved by polybaric open-system a narrow Eocene to late Miocene ridge that rests
crystallization, Seguam lavas crystallized at shallow levels under closed-system conditions. upon oceanic lithosphere of presumed Creta-
Seguam basalt therefore better reflects the character of its source materials than basalt erupted ceous age (Cooper et al., 1975; Geist et al.,
through unextended arc crust. We conclude that along-arc differences in the nature of crystal- 1988). Seismic-refraction data indicate that the
lization were facilitated by changes in the thermal and density structure of the subarc litho- crust of the central Aleutian arc is 26 km thick
sphere caused by intra-arc extension. and the subarc lithosphere is probably 80 km
thick (Grow, 1973). The subducting Pacific
plate contains three north-south-trending frac-
INTRODUCTION tributed to the relatively low temperature of the ture zones; the most bathymetrically prominent
Kay et al. (1982) first advanced the idea of crust of the Aleutian arc. A new structural syn- is the Amlia fracture zone, which was subducted
broad tectonic controls on magmatic evolution, thesis for the central and western Aleutian arc obliquely beneath Seguam ca. 1 Ma (Fig. 1A).
suggesting that tholeiitic magma ascends rapidly (Geist et al., 1988) indicates that the segmenta- Aleutian trench sediment is 1 to 2 km thicker
through extended Aleutian lithosphere at arc- tion model proposed by Kay et al. (1982) is an where the Amlia fracture zone intersects the
segment boundaries, whereas calc-alkalic mag- oversimplification. We hypothesize a relation be- trench (Scholl et al., 1982).
ma ascends slowly through arc segments under tween crustal extension and variable magmatic Bathymetry and seismic-reflection data indi-
compression. Kay et al. (1982) related both processes operating beneath the central Aleutian cate that the central and western Aleutian arc is
magma series to a common parent magma crys- volcanic axis. We present new geologic, petro- fragmented into several structural blocks (Geist
tallized at either shallow (tholeiitic) or deep logic, and Sr isotope data from Seguam Island, a et al., 1988; Fig. 1 A). Accelerated clockwise ro-
(calc-alkalic) levels. In contrast, Baker's (1987) volcanic center built upon strongly extended tation of these blocks commenced ca. 5 Ma,
experimental results suggest that most Aleutian crust in the central Aleutian arc (Fig. 1). The extending the upper arc crust, resulting in the
magma crystallized at deep levels, which he at- data indicate that differences in depth (polybaric formation of trailing-edge basins within the arc
vs. isobaric) and in physical processes (open- vs. crest, the largest of which are the Amlia and
closed-system behavior) distinguish crystalliza- Amukta basins, which together define an arc-
*Present address: Department of Geological Sci-
tion beneath adjacent volcanic centers on unex- parallel half graben 180 km long and 30-50 km
ences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
48109. tended and extended crust of the Aleutian arc. wide (Geist et al., 1987,1988; Fig. 1, A and B).
The Amlia and Amukta basins began subsiding
in the late Miocene and have filled with 3 to 5
km of Pliocene to Holocene sediment (Geist et

Figure 1. Tectonic setting of central Aleutian arc (after Geist et al., 1988). A: Arc is fragmented into Near, Buldir, Rat, Delarof, and Andreanof
blocks. Dashed line represents northern limit of deformation associated with block rotation. F.Z. = fracture zones in Pacific plate. B: Relation
between modern central Aleutian volcanic centers and Amlia and Amukta basins.

1050 GEOLOGY, v. 18, p. 1050-1053, November 1990

al„ 1987). Composite volcanic centers we exam- composed o f - 7 0 % basalt and basaltic andesite, vine and host basalt compositions (Roeder and
ined include Kanaga, Adak, and Great Sitkin, -10% andesite, and - 2 0 % dacite. The large vol- Emslie, 1970) reveals that Adak olivine pheno-
each of which grew atop unextended crust; ume and high SÍO2 content of the dacite were crysts are too Fe rich to be in equilibrium with
Atka, which grew on incipiently extended crust; previously undocumented in the central Aleu- their host basalt. In contrast, Mg-rich Atka and
and Seguam, which grew atop extended arc tian arc (Fig. 2). East-west alignment of vents on Seguam olivine phenocrysts could have crystal-
crust and divides the Amlia and Amukta basins Seguam reflects the extensional environment, lized from their host basalts under equilibrium
(Fig. IB). contrasting with the randomly distributed vents conditions. Seguam basalts are higher in MgO
of Kanaga, Adak, Great Sitkin, and Atka. and lower in FeO* and T i 0 2 than the majority
MODERN PHASE OF CENTRAL Adak basalt contains phenocrysts of plagio- of Adak or Atka basalts; however, the most im-
ALEUTIAN ARC MAGMATISM clase (Ang5_9o), olivine ( F 0 7 0 ) , augite, and ul- portant contrast is the different abundances of
Virtually no basalt has erupted at Kanaga, vospinel (Myers et al., 1985; Kay and Kay, incompatible elements and Sr (Fig. 3). Seguam
which is instead dominated by andesite (Fig. 2) 1985); Atka basalt contains phenocrysts similar basalt has low concentrations of incompatible
erupted from five central vents (Coats, 1952). in composition to those in Adak basalts, but is elements and Sr compared to Adak and Atka,
Although some basalt has erupted at Adak, it is less porphyritic (Myers et al., 1985). Seguam and N a 2 0 , K 2 0 , P 2 0 5 , Rb, Ba, and Y each
also dominated by andesites (Fig. 2) erupted basalt commonly contains calcic plagioclase define a pattern of decreasing abundance with
from Mount Moffet and Adagdak volcanoes (An75_96, mean Anc»o), Mg-rich olivine (Fo71_g7, increasing degree of extension (Fig. 3).
87
(Coats, 1952). Ultramafic and mafic xenoliths mean Fo82), and augite phenocrysts and less Sr/ 8 6 Sr ratios of 7 Seguam basalts range
from modern Adak lavas are interpreted as hy- commonly ulvospinel phenocrysts or ground- from 0.70362 to 0.70368 and are identical
bridized cumulates crystallized within the lower mass pigeonite. Fe-Mg partitioning between oli- within analytical precision; 17 Atka basalts have
crust and upper mantle (Conrad and Kay, ratios from 0.70319 to 0.703 41, and the ratios
1984). Great Sitkin is a large central-vent vol- of 4 Adak basalts are between 0.70319 and
cano that erupted andesite and dacite, but no 800 0.703 30 (Fig. 4). 8 7 Sr/ 8 6 Sr ratios from Seguam
basalt (Fig. 2). More than 90% of Atka consists are the highest yet measured from modern Aleu-
+ ii * Í
of basaltic shields upon which small volumes of S »600 tian lavas, with the single exception of a basaltic
andesite and dacite erupted from 14 vents (Fig. andesite from Vsevidof volcano ( 8 7 Sr/ 8 6 Sr =
£5.0
¡400 *
2; Marsh, 1980). Our field and geochemical 0.70369; Kay et al., 1978). Basalt through da-
u
data indicate that volumetrically, Seguam is
3.0 1 200
cite lavas at Seguam have virtually identical
87
Sr/ 8 6 Sr ratios (Fig. 4). In contrast, lavas from
O 4.5 Atka are slightly heterogeneous with respect to
«CJ
15
1 KANAGA
34 ¡5 3.5
20
tí 87
Sr/ 8 6 Sr ratios, and the degree of isotopic het-
69 0 10 erogeneity for Adak lavas is large (Fig. 4).
10 Z 5
D«
t QU In a pseudoternary projection, Adak and
5
. Illll... 1.5 0 Atka basalts define elongate arrays displaced
O 1-2 450' F T from the 1 atm plag + cpx + ol cotectic (Fig.
12 ADAK
15 cd 5A). In contrast, Seguam basalt occupies only a
45 £ m
10 bo +
+ g 250
í small volume of compositional space at the
05
c O. quartz-rich end of the Adak and Atka arrays.
cu 5 a,
co •llll Liiillii-. . Although the position suggests that Seguam ba-
>. 0.0 50 salt may be evolved, relatively refractory pheno-
CO GREAT SITKIN
c
CO
5 0.4 20 + crysts, high MgO, low abundances of incompa-
A
-
K tible elements, and different 8 7 Sr/ 8 6 Sr ratios
10 preclude its derivation from Adak or Atka ba-
bo 0.2 0
•Q « — — — . . . IX salt. Atka basalt glasses that equilibrated with
E P.
50 ATKA plag + ol + cpx at 8 kbar define a high-pressure
3 0.0
82 'Adak Seguam 'Àdak Seguam cotectic (Fig. 5B). It is evident that many Adak
- Atka Alka
and Atka basalts crystallized at pressures of
Figure 3. Variation of selected major 8 kbar or higher, and compositions displaced
..I I •I-*«— 1 and trace element abundances in central toward the 1 atm cotectic suggest that polybaric
27 g SEGUAM Aleutian basalts with increasing degree of
crystallization has been important at Adak and
extension (see Fig. 1B; data sources in
Fig. 2). Atka. In contrast, Seguam basalt projects to

0.7036 -i—n—i—r~1—r i Q i i i i r
e
« 0
S i 0 2 (wt%)
0.7034 A
Figure 2. Histograms of number of lava u IE B
analyses vs. Si0 2 content for five cen-
tral Aleutian volcanic centers. Vertical K
m
« i Figure 4. 8 7 Sr/ 8 6 Sr vs. Si0 2 con-
line separates basalt (<52% Si0 2 ) from tent of Adak, Atka, and Seguam
W 0.7030 lavas. Error bar is two standard
other lava; total number of analyses
from each center in upper right. Data Seguam e " errors of external analytical pre-
sources—J. Brophy (unpublished); Atka A cision of NBS SRM987. Seguam
Adak B . data obtained in University of
Coats (1952); Myers et al. (1985,1986);
0.7026 I 1 I i 1—L_ Wyoming isotope geology lab-
Marsh (1976 and unpublished); Kay et
al. (1982); Kay and Kay (1985); Simons 46 50 54 58 62 66 70 oratory. Adak and Atka data
and Mathewson (1955). SiOi sources in Figure 2.

GEOLOGY, November 1990 1051

 Figure 5. Adak, Atka, and
Seguam basalts in oxy-
gen-normalized pseudo-
ternary projection of Walk-
er et al. (1979). Fe-Ti pl«4 + m t
oxides allotted to spinel projection
component, Fe 2 + /Fe 3 + ra-
tios determined at 1200 °C BASALTS
(QFM buffer) with Kilinc et i 52% SiO,
al. (1983) model. Experi- QOOQO SEGUAM
ments of Walker et al.
(1979) and Grove et al. AAAAA ATKA
(1982) define 1 atm cotec-
tics. A: Adak, Atka, and
Seguam basalts relative to
1 atm cotectics and reac-
tion boundaries (data
sources in Fig. 2). Un-
certainty reflects analyti-
cal precision. B: Interpre-
tation; basalts relative to 8
kbar experiments. Cotec-
tic of 8 kbar is linear-regression fit to Atka basalt glass compositions of Baker and Eggler (1987). Di = diopside, Qtz = quartz, Ol = olivine, plag =
plagioclase, mt = magnetite, pig = pigeonite, opx = orthopyroxene.
the low-pressure side of the 8 kbar cotectic,
indicating that it became multiply saturated at
a lower, more uniform pressure of ca. 3 to
5 kbar (Fig. 5B).
INTEGRATED STRUCTURAL AND
PETROLOGIC MODEL
Any petrologic model must address (1) the
paucity of basalts erupted through unextended
crust, (2) the relatively refractory equilibrium
phenocryst assemblage in Seguam basalt vs. dis-
equilibrium phenocrysts and xenoliths in Adak
basalt, (3) decreasing abundances of incompati-
ble elements with increasing degree of crustal
extension, (4) high-pressure, polybaric crystalli-
zation of basalt erupted through unextended
crust vs. low-pressure, nearly isobaric crystalliza-
tion of basalt erupted through extended arc
crust, and (5) elevated and uniform 8 7 Sr/ 8 6 Sr
ratios of Seguam lavas relative to those of Atka
and Adak.
Role of Extension
Rapid extension unroofs deep hot rock, car-
ries it closer to the surface, and steepens the
crustal geotherm (England and Jackson, 1987).
Intracontinental basins geometrically similar to
the Amlia and Amukta basins apparently re-
quire compensation by asthenospheric upwell-
ing, with the net effect of compressing isotherms
and steepening the geotherm throughout the
lithosphere (Royden and Sclater, 1981; Keen,
1987). Magma ascending through hotter ex-
tended lithosphere should undergo reduced heat
loss and remain above its liquidus temperature
over a longer depth interval (Singer et al., 1989).
Thus, basaltic magma ascending through ex-
tended lithosphere would not crystallize until
reaching shallow depths, compared to basalt as-
cending through colder, unextended lithosphere
(Fig. 6). The shallower liquidus intersection re-
stricts crystal fractionation and assimilation-
1052
fractionation processes to operate at shallower
depths in extended lithosphere. Another effect of
extension is the replacement of upper crust by
low-density sediment during crustal thinning.
The attendant reduction of lithostatic load above
the upper crust-lower crust density interface fa-
cilitates eruptions requiring less hydrostatic head
(Glazner and Ussier, 1989). The central Aleu-
tian upper crust (2.6 g/cm 3 ; Grow, 1973) is
probably an effective barrier to buoyancy-driven
magma ascent. In regions of extension, magma
ponded at the upper crust-lower crust boundary
would readily evolve the hydrostatic head neces-
sary to overcome the reduced lithostatic load
and erupt through a thin, fractured upper-crustal
lid (Glazner and Ussier, 1989; Fig. 6). Basalt
ponded beneath relatively cold and thick unex-
tended upper crust is less likely to evolve the
hydrostatic head to erupt.
Interpretation of Central Aleutian Data
Adak basalt undergoes polybaric disequilib-
rium crystallization, is enriched in incompatible
elements, exhibits variable 8 7 Sr/ 8 6 Sr ratios, and
contains hybrid xenoliths of upper-mantle and
lower-crustal ultramafic and mafic rock; it there-
fore reflects open-system interaction between
ascending fractionating basaltic magma and sur-
rounding mantle and lower crust, as suggested
by Conrad and Kay's (1984) mineralogic study
of Adak xenoliths. The low 8 7 Sr/ 8 6 Sr ratios at
Adak and Atka (Fig. 4) are consistent with as-
similation of unradiogenic upper-mantle perido-
tite or lower-crustal mafic granulite by a
relatively radiogenic parent magma (Myers et
al., 1985), perhaps similar in isotopic composi-
tion to Seguam basalt.
The refractory equilibrium phenocryst as-
semblage, low abundances of incompatible ele-
ments, and restricted compositional space occu-
pied in the basalt pseudoternary system (Fig.
5A) argue against a major role for crystal
basalt
(+plaf+ol+cpx)
OCOOO SEGUAM
BASAIT
3 - 6 kb
fractionation in the evolution of Seguam basalt.
Sr isotope data from Seguam are consistent with
closed-system fractional crystallization produc-
ing a wide range of liquid compositions, from
basalt through dacite (Fig. 4); there is no evi-
dence that Seguam basalt crystallized under
open-system conditions. The paucity of basalt at
Kanaga, Adak, and Great Sitkin reflects the in-
ability of basalt to overcome the lithostatic load
and ascend through a cold and thick upper-
crustal lid (Fig. 6). At Seguam, attenuated, hot,
and highly fractured upper crust assures that
both basalt and dacite are readily erupted. Varia-
tions in source composition might account for
some of the isotopic differences between the
Adak, Atka, and Seguam basalts. The Amlia
fracture zone may have introduced an unusual
measure of sediment component into the mag-
ma source region beneath Seguam, which could
explain the high 8 7 Sr/ 8 6 Sr ratios of Seguam ba-
salt. In any case, high 8 7 Sr/ 8 6 Sr ratios survived
in Seguam basalt because there was little or no
chemical interaction between the ascending ba-
salt and mantle peridotite or lower-crustal mafic
granulite.
CONCLUSIONS
The thermal and density structure of the litho-
sphere of the central Aleutian arc is variably
modified by crustal extension. Basalt composi-
tions correlate with the degree of intra-arc exten-
sion because of differences in magmatic proc-
esses along the volcanic axis that result from
these thermal and density changes. Basalt
erupted through unextended crust (Adak) un-
dergoes polybaric open-system crystallization in
the upper mantle and lower crust. Basalt erupted
through strongly extended crust (Seguam) un-
dergoes closed-system crystallization at shallow
levels and better reflects its source characteris-
tics. The unusual volume of high-Si02 dacite at
Seguam evolved by shallow-level crystal frac-
GEOLOGY, November 1990 1051

Adak Atka Segaam
TEMPERATURE
Figure 6. Cross-sectional model of central Aleutian magmatism, based on litho-
spheric structure from Grow (1973). Basaltic diapirs (light areas) are drawn at depths
of earliest crystallization corresponding to liquidus intersections shown below.
Magma bodies beneath each volcanic center do not imply single vertically continu-
ous magma chambers; rather, they represent depth intervals over which crystalliza-
tion takes place. Light areas are mafic magma; dark area is evolved dacite magma.
tionation, and both the basalt and dacite are Cooper, A.K., Scholl, D.W., and Marlow, M.S., 1975,
readily erupted through thin, hot, and fractured Plate tectonic model for the evolution of the east-
ern Bering Sea basin: Geological Society of
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tion of sediment in the Amlia fracture zone. and nonuniform extension of the continental
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Supported by a Geological Society of America Pen-
rose Grant and University of Wyoming Geology and
Geophysics scholarship (Singer) and by National
Science Foundation Grant EAR 86-07324 (Myers).
We thank the U.S. Coast Guard for logistical support,
Jim Brophy for unpublished Kanaga data, Bruce
Marsh for Atka data, Carol Frost for access to the
University of Wyoming isotope geology laboratory,
and Kathy Cashman and Dave Scholl for critical
reviews.
Manuscript received March 8,1990
Revised manuscript received May 24,1990
Manuscript accepted June 8, 1990
1053