Effect of sulfate on the liquidus and sulfur concentration at anhydrite saturation (SCAS) of hydrous basalt at subduction zones

Sulfur (S) as sulfide minerals, melts, and as S2- species in silicate melts is prevalent in many different tectono-magmatic settings in Earth. Yet, S as anhydrite or as SO42- species in fluids and melts is thought to be relevant for subduction zones, where the presence of sulfate over sulfide is argued to play a key role in processes such as mobility of chalcophile element [e.g., 1], oxidation of mantle and mantle-derived magmas [2], and release of excess S-rich gases [3]. However, it remains unclear what role the slab-released SO42-, dissolved in fluids or melts plays in magma genesis in sub-arc mantle. Furthermore, although oxidized arc magma is thought to transport SO42- from mantle to volcanic arc crust and atmosphere, the SO42- carrying capacity of arc basalts at mantle conditions are unknown as the existing S concentration at anhydrite saturation (SCAS) experiments are restricted to 1 GPa and mostly on felsic compositions [e.g. 4,5]. We performed piston-cylinder experiments in Au-Pd capsules at 1-3 GPa and 1000-1325 °C to investigate (a) the effect of variable dissolved SO42- (0-2 wt.% S) on the liquidus of a primary hydrous arc basalt with 4 wt.% H2O and (b) the SCAS of hydrous mafic magmas. Dissolved SO42- in the silicate melt was confirmed by S Kα X-ray peak position using electron microprobe. S-free hydrous liquidus of cpx at 2 GPa is 25 °C hotter than the liquidus with 0.1 wt.% S as SO42- and the liquidus depression with further S enrichment to anhydrite saturation ( 2 wt.% S) can be fitted by an empirical power function. Experiments on more mafic compositions show that SCAS increases with increasing temperature and CaO and decreases with SiO2. Calculations using a new SCAS model, fitted with our new data and previous experiments, and assuming 150-550 ppm S in the arc mantle [6] show that <10% melting would exhaust anhydrite, if present. The S content as SO42- of hydrous arc basalts produced by 10-20% melting [7] will be 500-4000 ppm, which is comparable to the melt inclusion S contents from various arcs [8]. The SO42- undersaturated basalts may assimilate crustal sulfate and lead to high observed SO2 flux. [1] Canil & Fellows, 2017, EPSL [2] Kelley and Cottrell, 2009, Science [3] Wallace, 2005, JVGR [4] Luhr, 1990, J.Pet [5] Costa et al., 2004, J.Pet [6] de Hoog et al., 2001a, GCA [7] Kelley et al., 2006, JGR [8] Ruscitto et al., 2012, G3