Abstract
New Sr and Nd isotopic data are combined with availableinformation on the composition and petrology of lavas and the thermal andseismic structure of the underlying crust to develop a detailed model forthe deep structure and magmatic processes of the Clear Lake volcanicsystem in northern California. The isotopic data require a two-stagemodel for magmatic evolution. In stage I, basaltic magma (eNd=+6 to +8;87Sr/86Sr=0.703 to 0.7035; SiO2V50 percent) is fed from the mantle intothe lower and middle crust and evolves through combined crustalassimilation and fractional crystallization to basaltic andesite (eNd=+5to +0.4; 87Sr/86Sr=0.70328 to 0.70485; SiO2655 percent to 57 percent). Instage II, the basaltic andesite magmas are transported upward and areeither erupted at the surface or stored in shallow magma chambers wherethey evolve by fractional crystallization to form dacitic and rhyoliticmagmas (SiO2665 percent to 70 percent). High-silica rhyolites (SiO2675percent; high 87Sr/86Sr) show evidence that further crustal assimilationcan occur where upper crustal temperatures are elevated. Calculateddensities of Clear Lake lavas indicate that basalt should pond at a depthof 12-18 km where seismic data show a pronounced density boundary withinthe crust. Thermodynamic models of assimilation require that mid-crustaltemperatures are at least 600-800 8C to allow for enough assimilation toexplain the isotopic data. Both surface heat flow and thermobarometry ofcrustal xenoliths in andesites are consistent with these inferred hightemperatures. The Clear Lake volcanic system provides an opportunity tocross-calibrate petrological, geochemical and geophysical approaches. Theresults confirm that magma supply, magma buoyancy, and crustaltemperatures control magmatic evolution. A temporal trend of increasingeNd over the past 2 million years suggests that magma supply in the ClearLake volcanic field has been increasing and is still high. This isconsistent with high heat flow in the area and high 3He/4He in thermalgasses. The current pause in eruptive activity could represent a periodof silicic magma accumulation in the crust. Future eruptions in the ClearLake area may therefore be silicic and larger in volume than those overthe past 100 ky.