Ti-Magnetite Crystallization in Melt Inclusions of Trachytic Rocks from the Dokdo and Ulleung Islands, South Korea: Implications for Hydrous and Oxidized Magmatism

The Dokdo and Ulleung islands (Korea) are volcanic islands in the East Sea (Sea of Japan), formed in the late Cenozoic. These volcanic islands, in the back-arc basin of the Japanese archipelago, provide important information about magma characteristics in the eastern margin of the Eurasian plate. The origin of the Dokdo and Ulleung intraplate volcanism is still controversial, and the role of fluids, especially water, in the magmatism is poorly understood. Here, we comprehensively analyzed the melt inclusions (10–100 m in diameter) hosted in clinopyroxene phenocrysts of trachyte, trachyandesite, and trachybasalt. In particular, we observed Ti-magnetite and amphibole which were crystallized as daughter mineral phases within melt inclusions, suggesting that Ti-magnetite was formed in an oxidized condition due to H₂O dissociation and H₂ diffusion. The Ti-magnetite exhibited compositional heterogeneities of MgO (average of 8.28 wt %), Al₂O₃ (average of 8.68 wt %), and TiO₂ (average of 8.04 wt %). The positive correlation of TiO₂ with Cr₂O₃ is probably attributed to evolutionary Fe–Ti-rich parent magma. Correspondingly, our results suggested hydrous and oxidized magmatism for the Dokdo and Ulleung volcanic islands. View Full-Text