South Aegean volcanic arc: Geochemical variations and geotectonic implications

The Aegean volcanic arc is one of the most important geological structure of the Mediterranean area. It is a belt of volcanic centers consisting of products ranging from basaltic, andesitic, dacitic to rhyolitic in composition, all of them displaying a typical calc-alkaline chemical character. The most abundant rock types are represented by andesites and dacites. Minor amounts of basalts and rhyolites occur mainly in the central-eastern sector of the arc. The REE, Rb, Sr, Ba, Th, Ta, Hf, Zr, Ni, Co, V and Cr abundances determined in 27 representative samples from different centers suggest that: 1) the intermediate and acidic terms are products of crystal/liquid fractionation processes starting from basic parent magmas: 2) large variations in incompatible elements occur in the most basic samples that are interpreted as evidence for heterogeneously LIL element-enriched mantle source; 3) plagioclase played a role in the evolution of the volcanic centers of the eastern and central arc different from that played in the volcanoes of the western sector. Along the arc, the differences in the distribution of lithological types, in the volumes of erupted material, in the volcanological characteristics of the different centers as well as in the patterns of trace element distribution in the volcanites are considered to be connected with the prevailing tectonic regime affecting the various sectors of the arc.