Widespread PREMA in the upper mantle indicated by low-degree basaltic melts.

Studies of ocean island basalts have identified a Prevalent Mantle (PREMA) component as a fundamental feature of mantle geochemical arrays; however, its origin and distribution are highly controversial, including its potential link to plumes sourced in low-shear-wave velocity provinces (LLSVPs) above the core-mantle boundary. In this study, we interrogate the compositional systematics of ~ 3500 Cenozoic oceanic and continental sodic basalts to provide insights into the origin and distribution of PREMA. We find that low-degree basaltic melts with high Nb concentrations located away from deep-mantle plumes have PREMA-like Sr-Nd-Hf isotopic signatures, implying that PREMA is highly fusible and not exclusively associated with LLSVPs. Geochemical modelling and mantle convection simulations indicate that PREMA could have been generated soon after Earth accretion, experiencing only minimal melting or enrichment, and then scattered throughout the upper mantle, rather than being the result of mixing between depleted and enriched mantle components.

Perturbation of the deep-Earth carbon cycle in response to the Cambrian Explosion.

Earth's carbon cycle is strongly influenced by subduction of sedimentary material into the mantle. The composition of the sedimentary subduction flux has changed considerably over Earth's history, but the impact of these changes on the mantle carbon cycle is unclear. Here, we show that the carbon isotopes of kimberlite magmas record a fundamental change in their deep-mantle source compositions during the Phanerozoic Eon. The 13C/12C of kimberlites before ~250 Ma preserves typical mantle values, whereas younger kimberlites exhibit lower and more variable ratios-a switch coincident with a recognized surge in kimberlite magmatism. We attribute these changes to increased deep subduction of organic carbon with low 13C/12C following the Cambrian Explosion when organic carbon deposition in marine sediments increased significantly. These observations demonstrate that biogeochemical processes at Earth's surface have a profound influence on the deep mantle, revealing an integral link between the deep and shallow carbon cycles.