藏南亚东地区片麻状黑云花岗闪长岩LA-ICP-MS锆石U-Pb测年青藏高原羌塘南部晚古生代地幔柱?——来自基性—超基性岩的地球化学证据

羌塘南部地区大面积出露基性—超基性火成岩。基性岩墙和玄武岩沿龙木错-双湖板块缝合带的南侧呈近东西向分布,大地构造位置位于冈瓦纳大陆北缘,分布范围西起国境线,东到双湖地区,总长约800km,形成时代集中在晚石炭世—早二叠世(284~318Ma),反映出岩浆的快速侵位-喷溢的过程。基性岩墙和玄武岩主要为碱性系列岩石,少数为亚碱性系列,Ti和Fe的含量均比较高,Mg#比较低,表明它们都是原始岩浆经不同程度分异结晶后的残余熔体。基性岩墙和玄武岩的稀土元素、微量元素、形成环境等均与板内玄武岩或典型的地幔柱成因玄武岩具有相似的特点。另外,苦橄质岩石多与基性岩墙和玄武岩一起产出,主要为单斜辉石橄榄岩和二辉橄榄岩,矿物成分贫挥发性组分,主量、稀土和微量元素的特点反映出其很可能代表了地幔柱原始岩浆结晶的产物而非岩浆捕获体,而且其源区很可能为石榴子石二辉橄榄岩。由此,初步认为羌塘南部基性岩墙和玄武岩为地幔柱的头部减压熔融的产物,而苦橄质岩石为地幔柱尾柱通道熔融的产物。     

青藏高原羌塘南部晚古生代地幔柱？——来自基性—超基性岩的地球化学证据

羌塘南部地区大面积出露基性—超基性火成岩。基性岩墙和玄武岩沿龙木错-双湖板块缝合带的南侧呈近东西向分布,大地构造位置位于冈瓦纳大陆北缘,分布范围西起国境线,东到双湖地区,总长约800km,形成时代集中在晚石炭世—早二叠世（284～318Ma）,反映出岩浆的快速侵位-喷溢的过程。基性岩墙和玄武岩主要为碱性系列岩石,少数为亚碱性系列,Ti和Fe的含量均比较高,Mg#比较低,表明它们都是原始岩浆经不同程度分异结晶后的残余熔体。基性岩墙和玄武岩的稀土元素、微量元素、形成环境等均与板内玄武岩或典型的地幔柱成因玄武岩具有相似的特点。另外,苦橄质岩石多与基性岩墙和玄武岩一起产出,主要为单斜辉石橄榄岩和二辉橄榄岩,矿物成分贫挥发性组分,主量、稀土和微量元素的特点反映出其很可能代表了地幔柱原始岩浆结晶的产物而非岩浆捕获体,而且其源区很可能为石榴子石二辉橄榄岩。由此,初步认为羌塘南部基性岩墙和玄武岩为地幔柱的头部减压熔融的产物,而苦橄质岩石为地幔柱尾柱通道熔融的产物。     

青藏高原羌塘南部晚古生代地幔柱?——来自基性-超基性岩的地球化学证据

羌螗南部地区大面积出露基性一超基性火成岩.基性岩墙和玄武岩沿龙木错-双湖板块缝合带的南侧呈近东西向分布,大地构造位置位于冈瓦纳大陆北缘,分布范围西起国境线,东到双湖地区,总长约800km,形成时代集中在晚石炭世-早二叠世(284～318Ma),反映出岩浆的快速侵位-喷溢的过程.基性岩墙和玄武岩主要为碱性系列岩石,少数为亚碱性系列,Ti和Fe的含量均比较高,Mg#比较低,表明它们都是原始岩浆经不同程度分异结晶后的残余熔体.基性岩墙和玄武岩的稀土元素、微量元素、形成环境等均与板内玄武岩或典型的地幔柱成因玄武岩具有相似的特点.另外,苦橄质岩石多与基性岩墙和玄武岩一起产出.主要为单斜辉石橄税岩和二辉橄榄岩,矿物成分贫挥发性组分,主量、稀土和微量元素的特点反映出其很可能代表了地幔柱原始岩浆结晶的产物而非岩浆捕获体,而且其源区很可能为石榴子石二辉橄榄岩.由此,初步认为羌塘南部基性岩墙和玄武岩为地幔柱的头部减压熔融的产物,而苦橄质岩石为地幔柱尾柱通道熔融的产物.     

藏北羌塘南部地区基性岩墙与玄武岩的岩浆同源性

青藏高原羌塘南部地区沿龙木错－双湖缝合带南侧成群分布着近东西向的基性岩墙,形成时代为晚石炭世—早二叠世,其围岩是以晚石炭世—早二叠世裂谷型沉积为主并夹有基性火山岩的浅变质岩系。基性火山岩夹层的数量和厚度有由北向南由多变少的趋势。基性岩墙的岩石类型主要为辉绿岩,火山岩以玄武岩为主,玄武安山岩次之。基性岩墙与基性火山岩在空间上密切共生,形成于大致相同的地质时期内。二者均经历了低绿片岩相变质作用,且化学成分相近,稀土元素、微量元素组成均与板内玄武岩具有相似的特点。初步判定羌塘南部地区基性岩墙群与基性火山岩来自同一岩浆源,为晚石炭世—早二叠世冈瓦纳大陆北缘裂解的产物。     

桂西那坡基性岩地球化学:峨眉山地幔柱与古特提斯俯冲相互作用的证据

华南板块西南缘、越北地块以北桂西那坡县城以西及西南一带发育一套晚二叠世基性岩,由层状、似层状次火山岩相辉绿岩、辉绿玢岩及球状岩组成。根据岩石地球化学特征,那坡基性岩可划分为高Ti(TiO_22.8%和Ti/Y500)和低Ti两部分。高Ti基性岩为碱性玄武岩,而低Ti基性岩为拉斑玄武岩。与低Ti基性岩相比,高Ti基性岩整体具有相对较低的SiO_2、MgO和较高的FeO_t、P_2O_5,轻、重稀土分馏明显,富集大离子亲石元素(LILE)和高场强元素(HFSE),显示出似OIB地球化学特征,与峨眉山高Ti玄武岩具高度亲缘性;低Ti基性岩具有相对较高的SiO_2、MgO和较低的FeO_t、P_2O_5,稀土配分曲线较平坦,富集LILE,严重亏损HFSE(Nb、Ta),与岛弧玄武岩地球化学特征类似。从微量元素比值及相关图解对岩浆源区和构造环境判别,那坡高Ti基性岩来自富集OIB地幔源区,而低Ti基性岩兼具OIB和岛弧岩浆源区的过渡特征。结合岩石地球化学特征及区域地质背景,认为那坡高Ti基性岩可能为峨眉山地幔柱岩浆作用的产物,低Ti基性岩为古特提斯俯冲与峨眉山地幔柱共同作用的产物,揭示了那坡地区晚二叠世同时受到峨眉山地幔柱和古特提斯俯冲相互作用的影响。     

桂西巴马地区极高Ti/Y 值基性岩地球化学特征——来自峨眉山地幔柱高Ti母岩浆？

桂西地区位于扬子地块西南缘,越北地块以北。桂西巴马等地出露层状—似层状基性岩（辉绿岩和玄武岩）,该地区的基性岩成因对于理解该区构造—岩浆作用具有十分重要的意义。对桂西巴马基性岩进行了岩石学和地球化学研究,对其岩石成因和岩浆源区特征进行了讨论。研究表明,桂西巴马基性岩属于碱性玄武质岩,相对富集轻稀土元素和Nb、Ti等微量元素,与峨眉山大火成岩省高Ti玄武岩相似,说明其与峨眉山地幔柱具有相关性。然而,对比峨眉山高Ti玄武岩,巴马基性岩表现出更高的Ti/Y值。不相容元素比值特征表明,桂西巴马基性岩岩浆演化呈现更高的Nb/Y值等演化趋势。结合Dy/Dy?与Dy/Yb、Ti/Y的协变关系,对桂西基性岩与峨眉山玄武岩岩浆源区中稀土元素的分异特征进行判别,揭示出桂西巴马基性岩和峨眉山高Ti玄武岩具有同源性。然而,巴马基性岩地幔熔融程度更低,可能是峨眉山大火成岩省外带的地幔柱岩浆作用延伸的结果,代表了峨眉山地幔柱高Ti玄武岩母岩浆的特征。     

桂西巴马地区极高Ti/Y值基性岩地球化学特征——来自峨眉山地幔柱高Ti母岩浆?

桂西地区位于扬子地块西南缘,越北地块以北。桂西巴马等地出露层状—似层状基性岩(辉绿岩和玄武岩),该地区的基性岩成因对于理解该区构造—岩浆作用具有十分重要的意义。对桂西巴马基性岩进行了岩石学和地球化学研究,对其岩石成因和岩浆源区特征进行了讨论。研究表明,桂西巴马基性岩属于碱性玄武质岩,相对富集轻稀土元素和Nb、Ti等微量元素,与峨眉山大火成岩省高Ti玄武岩相似,说明其与峨眉山地幔柱具有相关性。然而,对比峨眉山高Ti玄武岩,巴马基性岩表现出更高的Ti/Y值。不相容元素比值特征表明,桂西巴马基性岩岩浆演化呈现更高的Nb/Y值等演化趋势。结合Dy/Dy*与Dy/Yb、Ti/Y的协变关系,对桂西基性岩与峨眉山玄武岩岩浆源区中稀土元素的分异特征进行判别,揭示出桂西巴马基性岩和峨眉山高Ti玄武岩具有同源性。然而,巴马基性岩地幔熔融程度更低,可能是峨眉山大火成岩省外带的地幔柱岩浆作用延伸的结果,代表了峨眉山地幔柱高Ti玄武岩母岩浆的特征。     

羌塘中西部红脊山地区蓝片岩Sr-Nd同位素与锆石U-Pb年龄特征及其构造意义

红脊山构造混杂岩带位于羌塘地块的中西部,为古特提斯洋在该地区俯冲、碰撞形成的高压变质带,是羌塘中部低温高压变质带的重要组成部分。本文对红脊山混杂岩带内蓝片岩进行了系统的地球化学、锆石U-Pb定年及Sr-Nd同位素研究。结果显示,红脊山地区蓝片岩的原岩为碱性、亚碱性玄武岩,其中碱性玄武岩具有高TiO2(2.86%~4.84%),属高Ti玄武岩,富集轻稀土元素[(La/Yb)N=11.42~20.05]和高场强元素,地球化学特征类似于OIB;而亚碱性玄武岩,具有低TiO2(1.74%~1.81%),稀土总量较低(67.27×10-6~68.59×10-6)和轻稀土略微富集的特征[(La/Yb)N=2.49~2.81],与典型的E-MORB特征一致。Sr、Nd同位素组成:εNd(t)=-0.1~3.9,(~(87)Sr/~(86)Sr)i=0.704812~0.708365,表明该地区基性岩浆来自亏损型地幔。锆石的Th/U比值为0.33~1.33,并具有典型岩浆振荡环带结构;获得两组206 Pb/238 U年龄数据:其年龄加权平均值分别为288.3±1.9 Ma(n=15,MSWD=0.39)和304.2±2.3 Ma(n=14,MSWD=0.54),因此该两组年龄应代表蓝片岩原岩形成年龄,红脊山蓝片岩原岩形成时间相当于晚石炭世—早二叠世。结合区域地质事实和前人研究成果,红脊山基性原岩形成于大陆裂谷环境,其成因可能与地幔柱有关,与南羌塘二叠纪基性岩墙具有相同的构造背景及动力学机制。蓝片岩基性原岩年龄在红脊山乃至整个羌塘地区都鲜有报道,红脊山地区晚石炭世—早二叠世岩浆活动的厘定为精细刻画羌塘地区古特提斯构造演化过程提供了重要依据。     

青藏高原南羌塘基性岩墙群U-Pb和Sm-Nd同位素定年及构造意义

羌塘地区是青藏高原古特提斯研究的关键地区,羌塘南部地区基性岩墙群的侵位时代与构造背景对确定古特提斯阶段联合古陆解体的具体时间和青藏高原构造演化有重要意义。选择单颗粒锆石U-Pb法和全岩Sm-Nd等时线法对基性岩墙进行定年研究,获得了(312±4)Ma单颗锆石U—Pb谐合线年龄和(299±13)Ma和(314±5)Ma两个Sm-Nd全岩等时年龄。结合区域地质资料研究认为,基性岩墙群为羌塘地块裂离作用的产物,所获得的同位素年龄代表了基性岩墙群的侵位时间,为羌塘地块裂解提供了构造事件年龄,为重塑龙木错—双湖古特提斯洋盆的形成演化过程提供了重要信息。     

武当山十堰地区二叠纪E-MORB型玄武岩识别及构造意义

大比例尺构造—岩相填图和测试分析研究显示南秦岭武当山并非统一前寒武纪基底组成,在十堰和两郧断裂之间的黄龙—方滩及丹江口银洞山等地区识别和厘定出一套中生代混杂岩带,开展混杂岩带内物质组成和成因研究对正确认识武当山造山作用和区域构造演化有重要意义。本文重点对武当山十堰黄龙—方滩地区混杂岩带内玄武岩块体岩石成因及时代进行研究,岩石地球化学显示玄武岩块体为亚碱性拉斑玄武岩系列,具有中等Ti、Zr、Hf、Nd含量、弱轻稀土富集重稀土亏损的E-MORB(Enriched Mid-ocean ridge basalt,富集型洋中脊玄武岩)特征,其岩浆为尖晶石二辉橄榄岩低压、高度部分熔融形成,源区可能受富集地幔或俯冲作用等影响导致富集高场强不相容元素;锆石U-Pb测年表明其为中二叠世火山作用产物;区域地质特征及岩石成因研究共同指示该套E-MORB形成于洋中脊或附近海山环境。综上,武当山十堰地区中—晚二叠世存在洋盆,该成果为理解十堰黄龙—方滩混杂岩带成因机制和正确认识南秦岭显生宙构造属性提供了基础资料。     

Geochronology,geochemistry, Hf isotopic compositions and formation mechanism of radial mafic dikes in northern Tibet

A large mafic dike swarm is radially distributed in southern Qiangtang. Three typical samples were selected for geochronology, geochemistry, and Hf isotopic analysis. Zircon U–Pb dating indicates that the three dikes formed at 291 ± 2, 292 ± 3, and 300 ± 2 Ma. Whole-rock compositions show that the southern Qiangtang mafic dikes are alkaline, Fe + Ti rich, and exhibit relative enrichment in light rare-earth elements. The ratios of incompatible elements are similar to those of oceanic island and Emeishan basalts. Geochemical diagrams show that the dikes erupted in an intraplate environment. Zircon Hf isotopic data suggest that magma that produced the mafic dikes was derived from a depleted mantle source. The geochemical characteristics of the dikes approximate that of eruption products of a brief period of mantle plume activity (300–280 Ma). According to eight geologic maps of Qiangtang, the mafic dikes crop out over an area of 150 km from north to south and 500 km from east to west, radiating outward from Mayigangri. We conclude that the mafic dikes in southern Qiangtang are related to the combined effect of Permian plate motions and mantle plume activity, and the Mayigangri area overlies the hot spot. Furthermore, the mantle plume in southern Qiangtang may have propelled the closing of the Palaeo-Tethys Ocean.     

Petrogenesis of high-Ti mafic dykes from Southern Qiangtang,Tibet: Implications for a ca. 290 Ma large igneous province related to the early Permian rifting of Gondwana

The presence and/or generation mechanism of a mantle plume associated with early Permian rifting on the northern margin of Gondwana are topics of debate. Here we report LA–ICP–MS U–Pb zircon ages, whole-rock geochemistry, and Sr–Nd isotope data for high-Ti mafic dykes from southern Qiangtang, Tibet, with the aim of assessing if a mantle plume formed in this region during the early Permian. Zircon U–Pb dating of diabase dykes yielded ages of 290.6 ± 3.5 Ma and 290.1 ± 1.5 Ma, indicating they were emplaced during the early Permian. Whole-rock geochemistry shows that these mafic dykes are alkaline (Nb/Y = 0.73–0.99), have high TiO2 (3.6%–4.8%), and have ocean-island basalt (OIB)-like trace element patterns with enrichments in Nb, Ta, and Ti. Whole-rock Sr–Nd isotope data show a relatively narrow range of εNd(t) (+ 2.29 to + 3.53), similar to basalts produced by a mantle plume (e.g., Emeishan continental flood basalts (ECFB)). Elemental and isotope data suggest that the dykes have undergone fractionation crystallization of mafic minerals and have experienced negligible crustal contamination. These mafic rocks show an affinity to OIB and may have been generated by partial melting of an OIB-type, garnet-bearing asthenospheric mantle source. On the basis of a similar emplacement age to the Panjal Traps basalts in the Himalayas, combined with a tectonic reconstruction of Gondwana in the early to middle Permian, our work suggests that the high-Ti mafic dykes in the Southern Qiangtang terrane and the coeval Panjal Traps basalts in the Himalayas together comprise a ca. 290 Ma large igneous province linked to a mantle plume, which probably played an active role in early Permian rifting on the northern margin of Gondwana and was related to circum-Pangea subduction.     

Permian komatiites and associated basalts from the marine sediments of Chhongtash Formation, southeast Karakoram, Ladakh, India

Summary The Karakoram micro-plate is the southern most sector of the Central Asian micro-plate mosaic which was separated by a narrow rift basin. A major rifting phase started during Permian time, which lead to drift of not only Karakoram but of the entire Eurasian (Asian) Plate from Gondwana land. This was at a time when a prominent sequence of black argillites occupied most part of the Karakoram Tethys basin. The geodynamic setting for this sequence may be interpreted as the evolution of a passive margin affected by extensional tectonics. The extensional activity is evident from the extrusion of basalts and komatiitic rocks in the region. In this paper the geochemical relations between komatiites and basalts of the Chhongtash, southeast Karakoram are investigated. The basaltic and komatiitic (ultrabasic) flows are petrologically and geochemically distinct, yet they display a close spatial and temporal association, and they are related to each other through olivine and clinopyroxene fractionation. The chemical characteristics of the ultrabasic to basic magmatism in the region is consistent with formation above a mantle plume that impinged on the continental lithosphere. Hence, a model of partial melting in a mantle plume and fractional crystallization in a deep-seated magma chamber is envisaged to explain the evolution of these volcanic rocks. The komatiite melts are interpreted to have been derived by high degree partial melting of mantle plumes in the tail region, while the basalts were interpreted to be the result of interaction of source plume with cool mantle through which the plume head passed. This study is the first of its kind, to suggest a rift related nature in the Chhongtash, southeast Karakoram, that represent the initial stage of Mesozoic rifting along the southern margin of Eurasia when Gondwana started to drift away from Eurasia.     

东天山自然铜矿化带玄武岩的起源、演化及成岩构造背景

新疆东天山地区与玄武岩有关的自然铜矿化带位于东天山觉罗塔格构造带内,自西向东有十里坡、黑龙峰、长城山、东尖峰等主要矿(化)点,自然铜矿化主要发育在玄武岩、杏仁状玄武岩及凝灰岩夹层中。本文基于玄武岩的地球化学特征,研究东天山自然铜矿化带玄武岩是否与地幔柱有关、岩浆源区性质、岩浆演化、成岩构造背景等问题。研究显示,东天山自然铜矿化带玄武岩与地幔柱岩浆活动无直接关系,整个天山地区是否存在石炭-二叠纪地幔柱岩浆活动也需要进一步的研究; 玄武岩起源于亏损岩石圈地幔,是演化岩浆的产物; 演化的玄武质岩浆形成后,在岩浆房中或上升至地表的过程中没有发生明显的分离结晶作用,也没有受到明显的地壳物质混染; 与玄武岩对应的地幔橄榄岩平衡原生岩浆演化的高镁岩浆的产物,可能为东天山地区与铜镍硫化物成矿有关的基性-超基性岩,指示这些铜镍硫化物矿床可能与地幔柱岩浆活动也没有关系; 玄武岩形成于新疆北部后碰撞构造阶段的伸展期,是在拉张应力体制下,由于软流圈上涌导致岩石圈地幔部分熔融而形成。     

Plume dynamics beneath the African plate inferred from the geochemistry of the Tertiary basalts of southern Ethiopia

Southern Ethiopian flood basalts erupted in two episodes: the pre-rift Amaro and Gamo transitional tholeiites (45-35 million years) followed by the syn-extensional Getra-Kele alkali basalts (19-11 million years). These two volcanic episodes are distinct in both trace element and isotope ratios (Zr/Nb ratios in Amaro/Gamo lavas fall between 7 and 14, and 3-4.7 in the Getra-Kele lavas whereas ²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb ratios fall between 18-19 and 18.9-20, respectively). The distinctive chemistries of the two eruptive phases record the tapping of two distinct source regions: a mantle plume source for the Amaro/Gamo phase and an enriched continental mantle lithosphere source for the Getra-Kele phase. Isotope and trace element variations within the Amaro/Gamo lavas reflect polybaric fractional crystallisation initiated at high pressures accompanied by limited crustal contamination. We show that clinopyroxene removal at high (0.5 GPa) crustal pressures provides an explanation for the common occurrence of transitional tholeiites in Ethiopia relative to other, typically tholeiitic flood basalt provinces. The mantle plume signature inferred from the most primitive Amaro basalts is isotopically distinct from that contributing to melt generation in central Ethiopian and Afar. This, combined with Early Tertiary plate reconstructions and similarities with Kenyan basalts farther south, lends credence to derivation of these melts from the Kenyan plume rather than the Afar mantle plume. The break in magmatism between 35 and 19 Ma is consistent with the northward movement away from the Kenya plume predicted from plate tectonic reconstructions. In this model the Getra-Kele magmatism is a response to heating of carbonatitically metasomatised lithosphere by the Afar mantle plume beneath southern Ethiopia at this time.     

Basalt basement from the Kerguelen Plateau and the trail of a Dupal plume

The first samples of volcanic basement recovered from the Kerguelen Plateau are Lower Cretaceous transitional tholeiites. Isotope and incompatible element abundance ratios for these rocks are similar to ocean island basalts from the southern hemisphere Dupal anomaly region, and geochemical, geological and geophysical data are consistent with volcanic activity associated with a mantle plume. A reconstruction of plate motions suggests that the Kerguelen Plateau formed above a mantle plume in the interval 118-95 Ma, during the opening of the Indian Ocean between India and Australia-Antarctica. This plume was the source of other plateaus and ridges of the eastern Indian Ocean and possibly the Bunbury Basalt of southwestern Australia, and is now beneath Heard Island.     

Neoproterozoic Mafic Dykes and Basalts in the Southern Margin of Tarim, Northwest China: Age, Geochemistry and Geodynamic Implications

<正>Neoproterozoic rifting-related mafic igneous rocks are widely distributed both in the northern and southern margins of the Tarim Block,NW China.Here we report the geochronology and systematic whole-rock geochemistry of the Neoproterozoic mafic dykes and basalts along the southern margin of Tarim.Our zircon U-Pb age,in combination with stratigraphic constraint on their emplacement ages,indicates that the mafic dykes were crystallized at ca.802 Ma,and the basalt, possibly coeval with the ca.740 Ma volcanic rocks in Quruqtagh in the northern margin of Tarim. Elemental and Nd isotope geochemistry of the mafic dykes and basalts suggest that their primitive magma was derived from asthenospheric mantle(OIB-like) and lithospheric mantle respectively,with variable assimilation of crustal materials.Integrating the data supplied in the present study and that reported previously in the northern margin of Tarim,we recognize two types of mantle sources of the Neoproterozoic mafic igneous rocks in Tarim,namely the matasomatized subcontinental lithospheric mantle(SCLM) in the northern margin and the long-term enriched lithospheric mantle and asthenospheric mantle in the southern margin.A comprehensive synthesis of the Neoproterozoic igneous rocks throughout the Tarim Block led to the recognition of two major episodes of Neoproterozoic igneous activities at ca.820-800 Ma and ca.780-740 Ma,respectively.These two episodes of igneous activities were concurrent with those in many other Rodinian continents and were most likely related to mantle plume activities during the break-up of the Rodinia.     

Accretion of crust in the axial zone of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge south of the Martin Vas Fracture Zone,South Atlantic

New data are obtained on the structure, evolution, and origin of zones of nontransform offsets of adjacent segments in the Mid-Atlantic Ridge (MAR), which, in contrast to transform fracture zones, so far are studied insufficiently. The effects of deep mantle plumes developing off the crest of the MAR on the processes occurring in the spreading zone are revealed. These results are obtained from the geological investigation of the crest of the MAR between 19.8 ° and 21° S, where bottom sampling, bathymetric survey, and magnetic measurements have been carried out previously. Two segments of the rift valley displaced by 10 km relative to each other along a nontransform offset are revealed. A volcanic center of a spreading cell, which has been active over the last 2 Ma, is located in the northern part of the southern segment and distinguished by a decreased depth of the rift valley and increased thickness of the crust. Magnesian, slightly evolved basalts of the N-MORB type are detected in this center, whereas evolved and high-Fe basalts are found beyond it. The variation in the composition of the basalts indicates that the volcanic center is related to the upwelling of the asthenospheric mantle, which spread along and across the spreading ridge. In the lithosphere, the melt migrated off the volcanic center along the rift valley. In the northern segment, a vigorous volcanic center arose 2.5 Ma ago near its southern end; at present, the volcanic activity has ceased. As a result of the volcanic activity, an oval rise composed of enriched T-MORB-type basalts was formed at the western flank of the crest zone. The isotopic signatures show that the primary melts are derivatives of the chemically heterogeneous mantle. The mixing of material of the depleted mantle with the mantle material pertaining either to the Saint Helena or the Tristan da Cunha plumes is suggested; the mixture of all three sources cannot be ruled out. The conclusion is drawn that the mantle material of the Saint Helena plume was supplied to the melting zone beneath the axial rift near the oval rise along a linear permeable zone in the mantle extending at an azimuth of 225° SW. The blocks of mantle material that got to the convecting mantle from the Tristan da Cunha plume at the stage of supercontinent breakup were involved in melting as well. The nontransform offset between the two segments arose on the place of a previously existing transform fracture zone about 5 Ma ago. The nontransform offset developed in the regime of oblique spreading at the progressive propagation of the southern segment to the north. The zone of nontransform offset is characterized by recent volcanic activity. Over the last 2 Ma, spreading of the studied MAR segment was asymmetric, faster in the western direction. The rates of westward and eastward half-spreading in the northern segment are estimated at 1.88 and 1.60 cm/yr, respectively.