Fe Isotope Data for Galápagos Mantle Plume Evolution Across 90 Million Years

Iron isotope ratio measurements (δ57Fe) for bulk rock samples of basalts and picrites from the Galápagos mantle plume system. The dataset includes samples from three evolutionary periods: the 70- to 90-Ma plume head, 60- to 70-Ma transitional terranes, and the modern (<2 Ma) plume. Measurements were performed at the University of Cambridge using a Neptune Plus MC-ICPMS, with typical 2 SEs better than 0.02‰.

Use Cases

• Modeling mantle plume evolution based on Fe isotope signatures across different time periods.
• Investigating mantle source lithologies and recycling processes based on heavy δ57Fe signatures.
• Correlating primary Fe isotope compositions with major and trace element data compiled from literature.
• Assessing analytical precision and accuracy by comparing measurements of geological reference materials.

Strengths

• Samples span three distinct evolutionary periods of the Galápagos plume over approximately 90 million years.
• Analytical precision is reported with typical 2 SEs on multiple δ57/54Fe measurements better than 0.02‰.
• Data is supplemented by a compilation of selected literature major and trace element data for the samples.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment for large-scale statistical analysis.

Provenance

Source

British Geological Survey (BGS), University of Cambridge Department of Earth Sciences.

Collection Method

Iron separation and isotope measurements performed on a Neptune Plus MC-ICPMS following established procedures.

Time Range

Samples from approximately 70-90 Ma, 60-70 Ma, and <2 Ma periods.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-05-28 13:00:36.945852; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Samples from Tortugal, Curaçao, Gorgona Island, Quepos (Costa Rica), Azuero Peninsula (Panama), and the modern Galápagos plume.