Post date: Jul 18, 2011 1:45:49 AM
Origin of Large Igneous Provinces: Linking Geochemistry, Geochronology, Geophysics, Geodynamics and Climate Modeling
Convenors: Alex Sobolev, Andrea Marzoli, Stephan Sobolev, Fred Jourdan
The Large Igneous Provinces (LIPs) are known for their enormous productivity of magma at areas of up to several million km2 in less than a few million years. They are likely associated with catastrophic thinning of lithosphere; they may initiate continental break-up and are often related to the global environmental catastrophes and mass extinction events. Despite the obvious importance of understanding the origin of LIPs, controversy surrounds even the basic idea that LIPs form through melting in the heads of thermal mantle plumes, and their timing relative to geodynamic and biological events remains disputed. This session aims at bringing together experts in petrology, geochemistry, geochronology, geophysics, geodynamics and paleoclimatology to address key problems of LIP origin. Particularly welcome are geodynamic models of LIP origin and models of their climatic impact, as well as new observations on their composition, timing, lithospheric structure and environmental influence.
http://www.goldschmidt2011.org/program/programView?session=04i#period_04i