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[1] The Kyushu-Palau Ridge (KPR) is a 2600 km long remnant island arc that is separated from the active Izu-Bonin-Mariana (IBM) arc by a series of spreading and rift basins. We present 40 Ar/ 39 Ar ages and geochemical data for the entire length of the Kyushu-Palau arc as well as for the conjugate arc which is stranded within the IBM fore arc. New 40 Ar/ 39 Ar ages indicate that the KPR was active between 25 and 48 Ma, but the majority of the exposed volcanism occurred in the final phase, between 25 and 28 Ma. Rifting of the Kyushu-Palau arc to form the Shikoku and Parece Vela basins occurred simultaneously along the length of the arc (circa 25 Ma), and at a similar distance from the trench. Unlike the IBM, the KPR has only limited systematic along-arc geochemical trends. Two geochemical components within the KPR indicate an origin in the suprasubduction mantle. First, EM-1-like lavas are identified in a restricted section of the arc, suggesting a localized heterogeneity. Second, EM-2-like arc volcanoes formed on juvenile West Philippine Basin crust, potentially reflecting ingress of mantle from the then active EM-2 province which lies in the west. Another geochemical heterogeneity is found at the KPR-Daito Ridge intersection where the arc developed on preexisting Cretaceous Daito Ridge crust. The geochemical characteristics at this intersection likely result from the involvement of sub-Daito Ridge lithospheric mantle. Subduction flux beneath the KPR generally matches post-45 Ma Eocene/Oligocene lavas in the IBM fore arc, involving fluids and melts derived from altered igneous crust.

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The laser-heating 40Ar/39Ar dating method was applied to volcanic rocks systematically collected from the back-arc region of the central part of the Izu-Bonin arc. Dating results combined with whole-rock chemistry and other geological information reveal the volcanic history of the back-arc region of the Izu-Bonin arc. In the back-arc seamount chains area, andesitic-basaltic volcanism initiated at c. 17 Ma, slightly before the Shikoku Basin ceased spreading, and continued until c. 3 Ma. Relatively old volcanism (>8 Ma) has been found only from the western part of the seamount chains, and younger volcanism mainly occurs in the eastern part of the chains, indicating the western margin of the active volcanic zone of the Izu-Bonin arc has migrated eastward with time. At around 2.8 Ma, volcanism initiated in the western part of the back-arc knolls zone. This volcanism is characterized by eruption of clinopyroxene-olivine basalt. In the first stage of rifting, this type of basalt erupted from N-S-trending fissures and/or vents aligned in this direction and formed N-S-trending ridges. Between 2.5 and 1 Ma, many small knolls were formed by eruption of basalt and minor felsic rocks. Volcanism younger than 1 Ma occurred only in the currently active rift zone and its adjacent area.The active volcanic zone in the back-arc seamount chains area converged to the volcanic front with time from 17 to 3 Ma. Active rifting and rifting-related volcanism also migrated or converged eastward after 1 Ma. The observed temporal variation of locus of volcanism may be explained by rapid retreat of the Philippine Sea Plate relative to the Pacific Plate and resulting steepening of the subducting slab.