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What
are Large Igneous Provinces?
Earth history is
punctuated by events during which large volumes of mafic magmas were
generated and emplaced by processes unrelated to “normal”
sea-floor spreading and subduction. These Large Igneous Provinces (LIPs)
are best preserved in the Mesozoic and Cenozoic where they occur as
continental flood basalts, volcanic rifted margins, oceanic plateaus,
ocean basin flood basalts, submarine ridges, and seamount chains. Felsic
rocks may also be represented.
Many LIPs can be linked to regional-scale uplift, continental rifting
and breakup, and climatic shifts. In the Paleozoic and Proterozoic,
LIPs are typically deeply eroded. They are represented by deep-level
plumbing systems consisting of giant dyke swarms, sill provinces and
layered intrusions. In the Archean the most promising LIP candidates
are greenstone belts containing komatiites.
 Large
Igneous Provinces of the Circum-Pacific region (in red) emplaced since
250 Ma. From cover of Mahoney, J.J. and M.F. Coffin (eds.), Large Igneous
Provinces: Continental, oceanic, and planetary flood volcanism. Amer.
Geophys. Union Geophys. Mon. 100: 438 p., 1997.
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What
is the LIPs Commission?
The LIPs Commission
was established to promote interest in large igneous provinces, encourage
research, and foster global collaboration among earth scientists. It
is one of several commissions under the umbrella of the International
Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth’s Interior
(IAVCEI; http://www.iavcei.org/).
The interests of LIPs Commission members range widely. The Commission
links many geoscience disciplines and applies the broadest range of
expertise to specific problems.
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History
The LIPs Commission
was formed in 1993, as the scale and importance of LIPs in Earth history
was appreciated, and the need for an international multidisciplinary
effort recognized.
Led by Drs. Mike
Coffin and John Mahoney between 1993 and1998, the study of LIPs expanded,
particularly that of oceanic plateaus and ocean basin flood basalts.
An important publication was: Mahoney & Coffin (eds.) Large Igneous
Provinces: Continental, Oceanic and Planetary Flood Volcanism. AGU Geophys.
Mon. 100, 1997.
From 1998 to 2003, under the leadership of Drs. Martin Menzies and John
Hopper, the Commission focussed on volcanic rifted margins (including
seaward dipping reflectors and high velocity lower crust). A key publication
is: Menzies et al. Volcanic Rifted Margins Geological Society of America
Spec. Paper 362, 2002.
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Current
Theme: “Large Igneous Provinces in Time and Space”
- temporal distribution
of LIPS (frequency, superplume events, links with climate change)
- spatial distribution
of LIPS (spacing, link with uplift, link with rifting/breakup)
- distribution of
LIPS in “space” (Venus and Mars)
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Current
Leaders
Dr. Richard E. Ernst
Ernst Geosciences
43 Margrave Ave.
Ottawa, Ontario
CANADA K1T 3Y2
Richard.Ernst@ErnstGeosciences.com
1-613-733-0887 work
1-613-295-7955 mobile
formerly at the Geological Survey of Canada, Natural Resources Canada
Dr. Ian H. Campbell
Senior Fellow, Institute of Advanced Studies
Research School of Earth Sciences
The Australian National University
Canberra, A.C.T. 0200, Australia
tel: +61 2 6125-4366
fax: +61 2 6125-8253 or 6125-368
Ian.Campbell@anu.edu.au
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LIP
Steering Committee members and their "portfolios"
Nicholas Arndt (LGCA,
Univ. Grenoble, Grenoble, France)
Assessing Archean greenstone belts in a LIP context.
write Firstname.Lastname_AT_ujf-grenoble.fr
(substitute "Nicholas.Arndt@" for "Firstname.Lastname_AT_")
Millard F. Coffin
(ORI, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan)
Geophysics of LIPs; impact origin of LIPs.
mcoffin@ori.u-tokyo.ac.jp
Kent C. Condie
(Dept. of Earth and Environmental Science, New Mexico Institute of Mining
and Technology, Socorro, USA)
Secular
changes in LIPs and their mantle sources; distinguishing oceanic LIPs
from oceanic crust (ophiolites).
kcondie@nmt.edu
Vincent Courtillot
(Laboratoire de Paleomagnetisme, Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris,
et Institut Universitaire de France, Paris, France)
Environmental effects of LIPs (with focus on climatic
effects of trap generated aerosols).
courtil@ipgp.jussieu.fr
Robert A. Duncan
(COAS, Oregon State University, Corvallis, USA)
Ar-Ar dating of LIPs.
rduncan@coas.oregonstate.edu
Gillian R. Foulger
(Volcano Hazards Team, U.S. Geological Survey, Menlo Park, USA)
Assessing plume and alternative models for LIP generation.
gfoulger@usgs.gov
for
recent developments click here
James W. Head III
(Department of Geological Sciences, Brown University, Providence, USA)
Planetary LIPs.
James_Head_III@Brown.edu
Andrew C. Kerr
(School of Earth, Ocean and Planetary Sciences, Cardiff University,
Cardiff, Wales)
Oceanic plateaus, with a focus on deformed/accreted
examples.
KerrA@Cardiff.ac.uk
for recent developments click here
Jun Korenaga (Dept.
of Geology and Geophysics, Yale University, New Haven, USA)
Mantle convection modeling and implications for generation
of LIPs, with a focus on the role of lithospheric mantle.
jun.korenaga@yale.edu
for
recent developments click here
John J. Mahoney
(SOEST, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, USA)
Oceanic plateaus, with a focus on young undeformed
examples.
jmahoney@soest.hawaii.edu
for recent developments click here
Shigenori Maruyama
(Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo, Japan)
Superplumes and the integration of plate tectonic
and plume tectonic systems.
smaruyam@geo.titech.ac.jp
Martin A. Menzies
(Dept. of Geology, Royal Holloway, University of London, Egham, UK)
Volcanic rifted margins.
m.menzies@gl.rhul.ac.uk
for
recent developments click here
Franco Pirajno
(Geological Survey of Western Australia, Perth, Australia)
LIPs through time and links with ore deposits.
franco.pirajno@doir.wa.gov.au
for
recent developments click here
Don J. Schissel
(BHP Billiton World Exploration Inc., Vancouver, Canada)
LIP-related ore deposits.
Don.J.Schissel@BHPBilliton.com
for
recent developments click here
Bryan C. Storey (Gateway Antarctica, University of Canterbury, Christchurch,
New Zealand)
Links between LIPs and breakup of the supercontinent
Gondwana.
bryan.storey@canterbury.ac.nz
for
recent developments click here
Eiichi Takahashi (Earth and Planetary Science Department, Tokyo Institute
of Technology, Tokyo, Japan)
Experimental petrology and implications for LIP generation,
with a focus on the role of eclogite.
etakahas@geo.titech.ac.jp
Dominique Weis (Pacific Centre for Isotope and Geochemical Research, Department
of Earth Ocean Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada)
Isotopic geochemistry of LIPs.
dweis@eos.ubc.ca
Paul Wignall (School of Earth Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK)
Environmental and climatic effects of LIPs.
wignall@earth.leeds.ac.uk
for
recent developments click here
Lionel Wilson (Environmental Science Department, Lancaster University,
Lancaster, UK)
Mechanisms for the emplacement of LIPs; planetary LIPs.
L.Wilson@lancaster.ac.uk
Michael T.D. Wingate (Tectonics Special Research Centre, School of Earth
& Geographical Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley,
Australia)
U-Pb dating of mafic units(integrated with paleomagnetism)
and implications for paleocontinental reconstructions.
mwingate@tsrc.uwa.edu.au
for
recent developments click here
Yigang Xu (Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of
Sciences, Guangzhou, China)
Domal uplift and regional variation in LIP
geochemistry: tools for assessing plume involvement.
yigangxu@yahoo.com
for recent developments click
here
Scott Bryan (School of Earth Sciences & Geography, Kingston University,
Kingston Upon Thames, Surrey, United Kingdom)
Silicic Large Igneous Provinces
S.Bryan@kingston.ac.uk
for recent developments click
here
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site designed
and updated by R.E. Ernst, K.L. Buchan, L.B. Aspler, and T. Barry
last updated Feb. 20, 2008
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