Phanerozoic record of mantle-dominated arc magmatic surges in the Zealandia Cordillera

We integrated new and existing bedrock and detrital zircon dates from the Zealandia Cordillera to explore the tempo of Phanerozoic arc magmatism along the paleo-Pacific margin of southeast Gondwana. We found that episodic magmatism was dominated by two high magma-addition-rate (MAR) events spaced similar to 250 m.y. apart in the Devonian (370-368 Ma) and the Early Cretaceous (129-105 Ma). The intervening interval between high-MAR events was characterized by prolonged, low-MAR activity in a geographically stable location for more than 100 m.y. We found that the two high-MAR events in Zealandia have distinct chemistries (S-type for the Devonian and I-type for the Cretaceous) and are unlikely to have been related by a repeating, cyclical process. Like other well-studied arc systems worldwide, the Zealandia Cordillera high-MAR events were associated with upper-plate deformation; however, the magmatic events were triggered by enhanced asthenospheric mantle melting in two distinct arc-tectonic settings-a retreating slab and an advancing slab, respectively. Our results demonstrate that dynamic changes in the subducting slab were primary controls in triggering mantle flare-up events in the Phanerozoic Zealandia Cordillera.

Automated summary

In the Zealandia Cordillera, episodic magmatism during the Phanerozoic was dominated by two high magma-addition-rate (MAR) events spaced approximately 250 million years apart. These two high-MAR events had distinct chemistries and are unlikely to have been related by a cyclical process. The magmatic events were triggered by dynamic changes in the subducting slab.