www.MantlePlumes.org © MantlePlumes.org The Geochemical Puzzle of the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt: Mantle Plume, Continental Rifting, or Mantle Perturbation Induced by Subduction?

The Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt (TMVB) is the Neogene volcanic arc built on the southern edge of the North American plate (Ferrari et al., 1999) (Figure 1). TMVB volcanism presents a wide range of chemical compositions. The geochemical signature of fl uids from the subducting plate varies strongly and lavas with a slab melting fi ngerprin