Mantle roots of the Emeishan plume: an evaluation based on teleseismic P-wave tomography

Abstract. The voluminous magmatism associated with large igneous provinces (LIPs) is commonly correlated to upwelling plumes from the core–mantle boundary (CMB). Here we analyse seismic tomographic data from the Emeishan LIP in southwestern China. Our results reveal vestiges of delaminated crustal and/or lithospheric mantle, with an upwelling in the upper mantle beneath the Emeishan LIP rather than a plume rooted in the CMB. We suggest that the magmatism and the Emeishan LIP formation might be connected with the melting of delaminated lower crustal and/or lithospheric components which resulted in plume-like upwelling from the upper mantle or from the mantle transition zone.