Short-lived alkaline magmatism related to the réunion plume in the Deccan Large Igneous Province: inferences from petrology, 40Ar/39Ar geochronology and palaeomagnetism of lamprophyre from the Sarnu-Dandali Alkaline Igneous Complex

Abstract

Available geochronological information on Deccan indicates prolonged (started at 68.5 Ma) alkaline magmatism related to the Réunion mantle plume based on the 40Ar/39Ar ages from Sarnu-Dandali and Mundwara alkaline complexes. We studied in detail an alkaline lamprophyre, from the Sarnu-Dandali Complex, rich in groundmass (magmatic) as well as xenocrystic phlogopites and clinopyroxenes. 40Ar/39Ar age determinations of the phlogopites from this lamprophyre reveal two distinct ages of 65.44+1.5 Ma and 68.17+ 1 Ma. However, palaeomagnetic results show a VGP at 32.31° N and 298.52° E concordant with that of the Deccan Super Pole at 65.5 Ma and support the younger eruption age at c. 65.44+1.5 Ma. Analysed phlogopites lack any signs of retention of excess radiogenic Ar and yield similar inverse isochron ages, which suggests that the older age of c. 68.17+1 Ma belongs to the crystallization of xenocrystic phlogopite during mantle metasomatism. Trace element compositions support derivation of lamprophyre magma from an OIB-type enriched (metasomatized) mantle source with an involvement of phlogopite. This finding suggests that the pre-Deccan ages of c. 68–69 Ma reported previously may reflect the timing of metasomatism of the subcratonic lithospheric mantle during the separation of Greater-Seychelles from India at c. 68.5 Ma. The absence of pre-Deccan alkaline rocks therefore indicates the short duration (between 67–65 Ma) of alkaline as well as small-volume, volatile-rich magmatism directly related to the Réunion (Deccan) plume.