Helium isotopic composition of hydrothermal fluids from the Manus back-arc Basin, Papua New Guinea

We present isotopic analysis of helium in hydrothermal fluids from the Manus back-arc basin, collected during the French-Japanese Manusflux and Manaute cruises in 1995 and 2000, respectively. The helium isotope composition of the fluids is comparable to that measured elsewhere in similar subduction environments, with He-3/He-4 values (7.4 to 7.9 R-a) slightly lower than typical MORB values, except on the Manus Spreading Center (MSC) where higher values (12 +/- 0.1 R-a) are observed. The causal link between the narrow spatial extent of the He-3/He-4 anomaly at the MSC and a He-3-rich deep mantle component remains elusive, based on available geophysical data. Thus, the Manus Spreading Center results may be an interesting example of small scale upper-mantle heterogeneity.

Keyword(s)

Western Pacific, Manus Basin, Back arc basins, Hydrothermal fluids, Helium isotopes

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Fourre E, Jean Baptiste P, Charlou Jean-Luc, Donval Jean-Pierre, Ishibashi J (2006). Helium isotopic composition of hydrothermal fluids from the Manus back-arc Basin, Papua New Guinea. Geochemical Journal. 40 (3). 245-252. https://doi.org/10.2343/geochemj.40.245, https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00000/4203/

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