Origin of north Queensland Cenozoic volcanism: Relationships to long lava flow basaltic fields, Australia

A plume model proposed for north Queensland late Cenozoic volcanism and long lava flow distribution combines basalt ages with recent seismic studies of Australia's mantle, regional stress fields, and plate motion. Several basalt fields overlie mantle “thermal” anomalies, and other fields outside these anomalies can be traced to them through past lithospheric motion. Elsewhere, anomalies close to Australia's eastern rift margin show little volcanism, probably due to gravity‐enhanced compression. Since final collision of north Queensland with New Guinea, areas of basaltic volcanism have developed over 10 Myr, and episodes appear to migrate southward from 15° to 20°S. Long lava flows increase southward as area/volume of fields increases, but topography, vent distributions, and uplifts play a role. This is attributed to magmatic plume activation within a tensional zone, as lithosphere moves over mantle thermal anomalies. The plume model predicts peak magmatism under the McBride field, coincident with the Undara long lava flow and that long lava flow fields will erupt for another 5–10 Myr. Queensland's movement over a major N‐S thermal system imparts a consistent isotopic signature to its northern younger basalts, distinct to basalts from older or more southern thermal systems. Australia's motion toward this northern thermal system will give north Queensland fields continued vigorous volcanism, in contrast to the Victorian field which is leaving its southern thermal system.