Abstract
Intraplate basaltic systems, often occurring as fields of small monogenetic volcanoes, are dominated by eruption of alkaline basaltic rocks, ranging from nephelinite/basanite to transitional/subalkaline. Their generally primitive erupted compositions imply limited crustal modification, and hence they provide an important probe into deep, lithospheric mantle and partial melting processes. Partial melting and magmatic ascent processes can be investigated using the composition of crystals, glass and wholerock, although a combination of these is preferable. The whole-rock chemical variability within single eruptions or over the temporal and spatial extent of a volcanic field is controlled by the characteristics
of the primary melting source, as well as near source percolative/reaction processes. Coupled crystaland-whole-rock detailed investigations are most promising to constrain the processes that modify primary melts into the primitive magmas that accumulate before ascent. Complex crystal textures and chemistry have so far demonstrated that basaltic magmas are principally processed and modified within the lithospheric mantle with minor modification en-route through the crust. Fractional crystallization and magma mixing modify melts throughout ascent, and can imprint secondary chemical intra-eruptive variability. Quantifiable temperature and pressure parameters based on crystalmelt compositions constrain the depth of formation, and hence provide information about the role of different mineral phases in deep versus shallow chemical evolution. Volatile components in the melt (e.g. H2O and CO2) can be quantified on glass and melt inclusions. These analyses, coupled with solubility models, may help to reconstruct initial dissolved volatile content to further constrain the source characteristics and magmatic ascent dynamics. Integrated studies of crystals and melt paint a picture of extended lithospheric mantle to minor crustal processing resulting from the complex deep
plumbing of monogenetic basaltic systems. This highlights the need for improved resolution to characterize true primary signatures and hence elucidate the formation of intraplate alkaline basalts.