Basalt lava flows of the intraplate Newer Volcanic Province in south-east Australia (Melbourne region): 40Ar/39Ar geochronology reveals ~8 Ma of episodic activity

Abstract

Intraplate basaltic volcanism is one of the most common, yet poorly understood, types of volcanism. Intraplate continental basaltic volcanic provinces (ICBVPs) typically comprise tens to hundreds of usually monogenetic, small-volume eruption centres, often cumulatively producing significant volumes of mainly primitive basaltic magmas. A wide range of mechanisms have been invoked to account for ICBVP melt generation, ranging from deep mantle plumes to local tectonic perturbations of the lithospheric mantle. The key to understanding the cause(s) of intraplate volcanism is understanding the geochemical evolution of magmatism within a regional tectonic framework. Unfortunately, many ICBVPs conta..