Xue, JingKing, Scott D.2021-04-142021-04-142016-08-010031-9201http://hdl.handle.net/10919/103025The similarity in both age and geochemistry of the Ontong-Java, Hikurangi, and Manihiki plateaus suggests that they formed as a single superplateau from a unique mantle source. We investigate the necessity of a thermal superplume to form the Great Ontong-Java plateau at about 120 Ma using 3D spherical models of convection with imposed plate reconstruction models. The numerical simulations show that the giant plateau which formed as a result of melting due to the interaction of a plume head and the lithosphere would have been divided into smaller plateaus by spreading ridges, and end up at the present locations of Ontong-Java, Manihiki, and Hikurangi plateaus as well as a fragment in the western Caribbean. By comparing temperature and melt fraction between models with and without an initial thermal superplume, we propose that a Cretaceous superplume in Pacific at 120 Ma is required to form large igneous plateaus.Pages 137-14812 page(s)application/pdfenIn Copyright (InC)Physical SciencesGeochemistry & GeophysicsOntong-Java plateauHikurangi plateauManihiki plateauPlate reconstructionsMantle convectionPlumesLARGE IGNEOUS PROVINCESCORE-MANTLE BOUNDARYONTONG-JAVAFLOOD BASALTSDEPENDENT VISCOSITYTOMOGRAPHY REVEALSCLUSTER-ANALYSISPLATE MOTIONSHOTSPOTSMODELS0201 Astronomical and Space Sciences0402 Geochemistry0404 GeophysicsGeochemistry & GeophysicsArticle2021-04-14https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pepi.2016.05.018257King, Scott [0000-0002-9564-5164]1872-7395