Supertoxic Flood Basalts: The CAMP - Siberian Trap Connection

Several diverse magma types are represented throughout the CAMP and Siberian Trap LIPs, however, the main extrusive phase of each province is highly unusual among continental flood basalts. The most widespread extrusions were intermediate titanium (ITi-type) CAMP basalt and the lower portion of the Upper Sequence of Siberian Trap. New and recently published data indicate that the geochemistry and petrology of these basalt suites closely resemble each other and infer similar origins. The basalts are characterized by strong negative Nb- Ta anomalies and unusual island arc-like depletion in high field strength elements, particularly Ti, plotted on spider diagrams. The geochemical data is consistent with significant contributions from subducted slabs into the magma source regions. If contaminated, volatile enriched mantle wedges were trapped beneath thick continental plates during the assembly of Pangea, fertile magma sources would have remained dormant until decompression melting was triggered during failed rift, then early rift stages of continental plate disassembly. The combination of volatile enriched sources and highly extensional tectonism would create rare perfect storms of toxicity. Calculated low viscosities assuming negligible carbon dioxide are consistent with rapid crustal penetration. Resulting aphyric melts extruded at enormous effusive rates as thick sub-parallel flows across wide subareal terrains through fissures extending several hundred km in length. High fountain heights would afford ample opportunity for efficient degassing, perhaps into the stratosphere. When the supply of volatile flux was exhausted magmatism ceased. The mass extinctions that coincide with CAMP and Siberian volcanism contrast with some large plume and superplume events that correlate with expansions of biodiversity. This may be due in part to contrasting magma access to sources of toxic volatiles, particularly sulfur concentrations in anoxic subducted sediments.