Thermal structures of the Pacific lithosphere from magnetic anomaly inversion
Of the world's oceans, the Pacific has the most abundant distribution of seamount trails, oceanic plateaus and hot spots, and has the longest fracture zones. However, little is known of their thermal structures due to difficulties of heat flow measurement and interpretation, and in inferring th...
Published in: | Earth and Planetary Physics |
---|---|
Main Authors: | , |
Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | English |
Published: |
Science Press
2018
|
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.26464/epp2018005 https://doaj.org/article/17949f8fa1114fcf870b2e46a33e9b88 |
id |
ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:17949f8fa1114fcf870b2e46a33e9b88 |
---|---|
record_format |
openpolar |
spelling |
ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:17949f8fa1114fcf870b2e46a33e9b88 2023-05-15T17:31:18+02:00 Thermal structures of the Pacific lithosphere from magnetic anomaly inversion Chun-Feng Li Jian Wang 2018-01-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.26464/epp2018005 https://doaj.org/article/17949f8fa1114fcf870b2e46a33e9b88 EN eng Science Press http://www.eppcgs.org/article/doi/10.26464/epp2018005?pageType=en https://doaj.org/toc/2096-3955 2096-3955 doi:10.26464/epp2018005 https://doaj.org/article/17949f8fa1114fcf870b2e46a33e9b88 Earth and Planetary Physics, Vol 2, Iss 1, Pp 52-66 (2018) pacific curie depth heat flow seamount oceanic plateau magnetic anomaly Science Q Geophysics. Cosmic physics QC801-809 Environmental sciences GE1-350 article 2018 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.26464/epp2018005 2022-12-31T00:23:34Z Of the world's oceans, the Pacific has the most abundant distribution of seamount trails, oceanic plateaus and hot spots, and has the longest fracture zones. However, little is known of their thermal structures due to difficulties of heat flow measurement and interpretation, and in inferring thermal anomalies from low-resolution seismic velocities. Using recently published global magnetic models, we present the first independent constraint on Pacific geothermal state and mantle dynamics, by applying a fractal magnetization inversion model to magnetic anomaly data. Warm thermal anomalies are inferred for all known active hot spots, most seamount trails, some major fracture zones, and oceanic lithosphere between ~100 and ~140 Ma in age. While most Curie points are among the shallowest in the zone roughly bounded by the 20 Ma isochrons, abnormally deep Curie points are found along nearly all ridge crests in the Pacific, related to patchy, long-wavelength and large-amplitude magnetic anomalies that are most likely caused by prevailing magmatic or hydrothermal processes. Many large contrasts in the thermal evolution between the Pacific and North Atlantic support much stronger hydrothermal circulation occurring in Pacific lithospheres younger than ~60 Ma, which may have disguised from surface heat flow any deep thermal signatures of volcanic structures. Yet, at depths of the Curie points, our model argues for warmer Pacific lithosphere for crustal ages older than ~15 Ma, given a slightly higher spatial correlation of magnetization in the Pacific than in the North Atlantic. Article in Journal/Newspaper North Atlantic Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Pacific Earth and Planetary Physics 2 1 1 15 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
op_collection_id |
ftdoajarticles |
language |
English |
topic |
pacific curie depth heat flow seamount oceanic plateau magnetic anomaly Science Q Geophysics. Cosmic physics QC801-809 Environmental sciences GE1-350 |
spellingShingle |
pacific curie depth heat flow seamount oceanic plateau magnetic anomaly Science Q Geophysics. Cosmic physics QC801-809 Environmental sciences GE1-350 Chun-Feng Li Jian Wang Thermal structures of the Pacific lithosphere from magnetic anomaly inversion |
topic_facet |
pacific curie depth heat flow seamount oceanic plateau magnetic anomaly Science Q Geophysics. Cosmic physics QC801-809 Environmental sciences GE1-350 |
description |
Of the world's oceans, the Pacific has the most abundant distribution of seamount trails, oceanic plateaus and hot spots, and has the longest fracture zones. However, little is known of their thermal structures due to difficulties of heat flow measurement and interpretation, and in inferring thermal anomalies from low-resolution seismic velocities. Using recently published global magnetic models, we present the first independent constraint on Pacific geothermal state and mantle dynamics, by applying a fractal magnetization inversion model to magnetic anomaly data. Warm thermal anomalies are inferred for all known active hot spots, most seamount trails, some major fracture zones, and oceanic lithosphere between ~100 and ~140 Ma in age. While most Curie points are among the shallowest in the zone roughly bounded by the 20 Ma isochrons, abnormally deep Curie points are found along nearly all ridge crests in the Pacific, related to patchy, long-wavelength and large-amplitude magnetic anomalies that are most likely caused by prevailing magmatic or hydrothermal processes. Many large contrasts in the thermal evolution between the Pacific and North Atlantic support much stronger hydrothermal circulation occurring in Pacific lithospheres younger than ~60 Ma, which may have disguised from surface heat flow any deep thermal signatures of volcanic structures. Yet, at depths of the Curie points, our model argues for warmer Pacific lithosphere for crustal ages older than ~15 Ma, given a slightly higher spatial correlation of magnetization in the Pacific than in the North Atlantic. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Chun-Feng Li Jian Wang |
author_facet |
Chun-Feng Li Jian Wang |
author_sort |
Chun-Feng Li |
title |
Thermal structures of the Pacific lithosphere from magnetic anomaly inversion |
title_short |
Thermal structures of the Pacific lithosphere from magnetic anomaly inversion |
title_full |
Thermal structures of the Pacific lithosphere from magnetic anomaly inversion |
title_fullStr |
Thermal structures of the Pacific lithosphere from magnetic anomaly inversion |
title_full_unstemmed |
Thermal structures of the Pacific lithosphere from magnetic anomaly inversion |
title_sort |
thermal structures of the pacific lithosphere from magnetic anomaly inversion |
publisher |
Science Press |
publishDate |
2018 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.26464/epp2018005 https://doaj.org/article/17949f8fa1114fcf870b2e46a33e9b88 |
geographic |
Pacific |
geographic_facet |
Pacific |
genre |
North Atlantic |
genre_facet |
North Atlantic |
op_source |
Earth and Planetary Physics, Vol 2, Iss 1, Pp 52-66 (2018) |
op_relation |
http://www.eppcgs.org/article/doi/10.26464/epp2018005?pageType=en https://doaj.org/toc/2096-3955 2096-3955 doi:10.26464/epp2018005 https://doaj.org/article/17949f8fa1114fcf870b2e46a33e9b88 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.26464/epp2018005 |
container_title |
Earth and Planetary Physics |
container_volume |
2 |
container_issue |
1 |
container_start_page |
1 |
op_container_end_page |
15 |
_version_ |
1766128795874492416 |