Abstract: AbstractThe Rio Grande Rise in the western South Atlantic Ocean has been interpreted as either an oceanic plateau related to the Tristan-Gough mantle plume, or a fragment of detached continental crust. Here we present new major and trace element data for volcanic rocks from the western and eastern Rio Grande Rise and the adjacent Jean Charcot Seamount Chain. The eastern Rio Grande Rise and older parts of the western Rio Grande Rise are comprised of tholeiitic basalt with moderately enriched trace element compositions and likely formed above the...
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Topics: 
Geochemistry
Earth science
Paleontology