Li isotope ratios of spring fluids as an effective tracer of slab-derived subducted sources across the Costa Rica forearc

Abstract

Abstract Spring waters from across the Costa Rica margin were analyzed for their Li and He isotope compositions to determine the utility of Li isotopes as a tracer of volatile sources in subduction zones. Li isotope ratios systematically decrease with increasing depth to the subducting slab: averaging +15.0‰ ± 9.2‰ in the outer forearc (<40 km to the slab), +9.3‰ ± 4.3‰ in the forearc (40–80 km to the slab), and +5.8‰ ± 2.8‰ in the arc (>80 km to the slab). In contrast, air-corrected 3He/4He values (reported relative to the ratio in air, RA) range from 0.4 to 7.5 RA and increase from predominantly crustal values near the trench to mantle values in the arc. Together, these data support progressive devolatilization of the subducting plate with slab-derived Li components sourced from shallowly expelled pore fluids in the outer forearc, sedimentary and/or altered oceanic crust contributing to the forearc, and limited slab input beneath the arc.