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Re-evaluating plume-induced uplift in the Emeishan large igneous province

Nature Geoscience volume 1, pages 625–629 (2008)Cite this article

Abstract

Numerical and fluid dynamic modelling predicts that mantle plumes should generate a broad domal uplift (>1,000 km wide, 500 to ⩾1,000 m high) preceding volcanism in large igneous provinces. The Emeishan large igneous province (southwest China) has been offered as the best example of plume-induced uplift, where kilometre-scale pre- and syn-volcanic relief was interpreted to develop in response to the impingement of a plume head. Here, we document voluminous mafic hydromagmatic deposits and submarine extrusions that formed during the initiation and early stages of the Emeishan large igneous province: these deposits were previously interpreted to be alluvial fan sediments shed from a pre-volcanic domal high. The abundance of such deposits—consisting of variable proportions of marine limestone and basaltic fragments—strongly suggests that the bulk of this province was emplaced at sea level. Evidence for dynamic pre-volcanic uplift as predicted by plume models is lacking, and such a lack may be the more general case. Any positive relief that developed was more likely the result of the formation of a volcanic edifice and rapid accumulation of the volcanic pile.

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Figure 1: Geologic map of the Emeishan LIP in southwest China.
Figure 2: Stratigraphy of mafic volcaniclastic deposits, Daqiao.
Figure 3: Textural features of Daqiao mafic volcaniclastic deposits and Binchuan pillow lavas.

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful to B. He and Y.-G. Xu for their generosity in showing us these field localities and sharing information about their research. We also thank the convenors and sponsors of the IAVCEI conference on Continental Volcanism in Guangzhou, China, in 2006, for making possible the field trip that initiated this study. I.U.P. acknowledges support from NSF grant #EAR-0439888, The University of Iowa International Program Travel Fund and the University of Iowa Department of Geoscience to attend the IAVCEI meeting and research funding for this project. S.E.B. acknowledges support from Kingston University to attend the IAVCEI meeting. J. Jell, P. Colls and N. Thomas are thanked for discussions on aspects of this manuscript. G. Foulger and J. White are thanked for constructive comments on this manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geoscience, 121 Trowbridge Hall, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242, USA

    Ingrid Ukstins Peate

  2. Centre for Earth and Environmental Science Research, Kingston University, Penrhyn Road, Kingston Upon Thames, Surrey KT1 2EE, UK

    Scott Edward Bryan

  3. WH Bryan Mining and Geology Research Centre, Sustainable Minerals Institute, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia

    Scott Edward Bryan

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  1. Ingrid Ukstins Peate
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Contributions

I.U.P. and S.E.B. both contributed to carrying out field studies, as well as writing and editing this manuscript.

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Correspondence to Ingrid Ukstins Peate or Scott Edward Bryan.

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Ukstins Peate, I., Bryan, S. Re-evaluating plume-induced uplift in the Emeishan large igneous province. Nature Geosci 1, 625–629 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1038/ngeo281

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